WELCOME TO THE PROVIDER PULSE

February 2025

This newsletter is about strengthening regular communication between the Snohomish County Health Department and medical providers. These quarterly newsletters will include up-to-date information regarding clinical best practices, current trends or emerging information, new resources, and relevant opportunities for providers and staff from all teams within the Prevention Services Division of the Health Department. 

INDEX:

• Update on Pertussis
• Refugee Health
• Vaccine Preventable Diseases
• Children and Family Health
• Healthy Communities
• Tuberculosis

children and family Health

reduce Lead Exposure in Children

Lead exposure can have serious consequences, especially when it comes to cognitive development, learning abilities, and behavioral concerns in young children. By adopting blood lead testing as a standard part of patient care, you are taking an important step toward preventing the possible consequences of lead exposure. Blood lead testing is a simple, effective way to help protect our children and ensure that they have the best possible chance for a healthy, and successful future. Children screened for lead poisoning are more likely to receive services for behavioral problems, learning disabilities, or speech-language impairment. 

Symptoms of lead poisoning are not always present right away, so blood lead testing is the only reliable way to know if someone is at risk It is important to remember that there is no safe level of lead and that even low blood lead levels can have a significant and irreversible impact on children’s health. By making blood lead testing a routine part of care, you can help prevent long-term health and developmental issues.  

Please visit https://www.snohd.org/432/Lead-and-Health for more information and to access our provider toolkit. 

healthy communities

suicide prevention training

Ask a Question, Save a Life. In this 90-minute in person training, attendees will learn three steps that can be taken to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. Instruction will be provided by QPR trainer, Wendy Burchill, with the Snohomish County Health Department. The training is free and open to anyone in the community, age 16 or older. To register to attend, please use the link below, visit stillyvalleyhealth.org, or call 360-386-9918.

Date: March 13th, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Format: In-Person at Stilly Valley Health Connections
REGISTRATION: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1106715819809

If you'd like to download a copy of the flyer, click here.

TUBERculosis

Routine Testing Reminder

Are you testing patients born outside the U.S. for TB? National data shows half of healthcare providers are considering TB for non-U.S.-born patients. Identifying and overcoming barriers to TB testing and treatment is crucial. Anyone born outside the U.S. or Western Europe should be tested for TB at least once. For positive results, contact the health department for guidance at 425.339.5225. Let's work together to reduce TB transmission in Snohomish County. 

Key Points to Remember: 

Think TB if patients have symptoms like a persistent cough, fever, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, or related radiological findings. 

High-Risk Groups include: 

• Close contacts of active TB cases 
• Those with a history of residence or travel to TB-endemic regions (refer to the WHO table) 
• Children under 5 with a positive TB test 
• Individuals with a history of latent TB infection (LTBI), especially if diagnosed in the past 2 years 
• Residents or workers in shelters, correctional, or long-term care facilities 
• People with HIV, diabetes, or other immunocompromising conditions 

TB-Endemic Regions (2019 Data from WHO list of high burden countries): 

• Severely Endemic (500+ cases/100,000): Central African Republic, Gabon, Lesotho, South Africa; DPR Korea; Philippines. 
• Highly Endemic (300-499 cases/100,000): Angola, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia; Indonesia, Myanmar, Timor-Leste; Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea. 
• Endemic (100-299 cases/100,000): Various regions in Africa, the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia, Western Pacific.

RESOURCES:  

• WA DOH Tuberculosis Resources for Health Care Providers  
• WA DOH TB Surveillance  
• WA Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) Contact Information