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Source: https://patch.com/washington/seattle...-homeless-risk
3 Disease Outbreaks In King County Put Homeless At Risk
King County investigators are watching three disease outbreaks - and possibly a fourth - that may hit the homeless harder.
By Neal McNamara , Patch Staff | Feb 28, 2018 11:52 am ET
SEATTLE, WA - King County Public Health investigators are looking into outbreaks of three diseases that are especially harmful for the local homeless population - and a fourth outbreak may be emerging.
According to Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officials are seeing a big increase of group A streptococcus infections and shigella, which causes gastrointestinal distress. There's also a cluster of trench fever cases, a painful illness spread through body lice carrying the bacteria Bartonella quintana. There have been three trench fever cases among the homeless since mid-2017, according to Duchin.
Additionally, Duchin said, the department is monitoring for a possible Hepatitis A outbreak - a type of hepatitis that infects the liver and can be spread through contact with infected feces...
3 Disease Outbreaks In King County Put Homeless At Risk
King County investigators are watching three disease outbreaks - and possibly a fourth - that may hit the homeless harder.
By Neal McNamara , Patch Staff | Feb 28, 2018 11:52 am ET
SEATTLE, WA - King County Public Health investigators are looking into outbreaks of three diseases that are especially harmful for the local homeless population - and a fourth outbreak may be emerging.
According to Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officials are seeing a big increase of group A streptococcus infections and shigella, which causes gastrointestinal distress. There's also a cluster of trench fever cases, a painful illness spread through body lice carrying the bacteria Bartonella quintana. There have been three trench fever cases among the homeless since mid-2017, according to Duchin.
Additionally, Duchin said, the department is monitoring for a possible Hepatitis A outbreak - a type of hepatitis that infects the liver and can be spread through contact with infected feces...