Immunizations

• Immunity from Disease: When a child gets sick with one of these diseases, her immune system produces immunity, which keeps her from getting the same disease again. But getting sick is unpleasant, and can be dangerous.
• Immunity from Vaccines: Vaccines are made with the same bacteria or viruses that cause a disease, but they have been weakened or killed to make them safe. A child’s immune system responds to a vaccine the same way it would if the child had the disease. This means he will develop immunity without having to get sick first.

• DIPHTHERIA-Bacteria You can get it from contact with an infected person. Signs and symptoms include a thick covering in the back of the throat that can make it hard to breathe. It can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, and death.
• TETANUS (Lockjaw)- Bacteria You can get it from a cut or wound. It does not spread from person to person. Signs and symptoms include painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body, It can lead to stiffness of the jaw, so the victim can’t open his mouth or swallow. It leads to death in about 1 case out of 5.
• PERTUSSIS (Whooping cough)-Bacteria You can get it from contact with an infected person. Signs and symptoms include violent coughing spells that can make it hard for an infant to eat, drink, or breathe. These spells can last for weeks. It can lead to pneumonia, seizures, (jerking and staring spells), brain damage, and death.
• POLIO-Virus You can get it from close contact with an infected person. It enters the body through the mouth. Signs and symptoms can include a cold-like illness, or there may be no signs or symptoms at all. It can lead to paralysis (can’t move arm or leg), or death (by paralyzing breathing muscles).
• HIB (Haemophilus influenzae type b)-Bacteria You can get it from contact with an infected person. Signs and symptoms, There may be no signs or symptoms in mild cases. It can lead to meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal cord covering); pneumonia; infections of the blood, joints, bones, and covering of the heart; brain damage; deafness; and death.
• HEPATITIS B-Virus You can get it from contact with blood or body fluids of an infected person. Babies can get it at birth if the mother is infected, or through a cut or wound. Adults can get it from unprotected sex. sharing needles, or other exposures to blood. Signs and symptoms include tiredness, diarrhea and vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin or eyes), and pain in muscles, joints and stomach. It can lead to liver damage, liver cancer, and death.
• MEASLES- Measles is a highly contagious disease with symptoms that include fever, runny nose, white spots in the back of the mouth and a rash. Serious cases can cause blindness, brain swelling and death.
• MUMPS- Mumps can cause headache, malaise, fever, and swollen salivary glands. Complications can include meningitis, swollen testicles and deafness.
• RUBELLA- Rubella infection in children and adults is usually mild, but in pregnant women it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death or birth defects.
• PNEUMOCOCCAL-Bacteria You can get it from contact with an infected person. Signs and symptoms include fever, chills, cough, and chest pain. It can lead to meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal cord coverings), blood infections, ear infections, pneumonia, deafness, brain damage, and death.
• ROTAVIRUS-Virus you can get it from contact with other children who are infected. Signs and symptoms include severe diarrhea, vomiting and fever. It can lead to dehydration, hospitalization, and death.
• HPV (Human Papillomavirus)- HPV usually has no symptoms, but some strains can cause cervical cancer – the fourth most common cancer in women. Almost all cases of cervical cancer (99 per cent) are caused by HPV. HPV can also cause genital warts in both men and women, as well as cancer on other parts of the body. HPV is recommended for the male population as well.

Our trained nursing staff provides TB skin testing in our office with appointment Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm. Call O’Brien County Public Health at 712-957-0105 to schedule an appointment.

How is the TB skin test administered?

The TST is performed by injecting 0.1 ml of tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) into the inner surface of the forearm.

How is the TST read?

The skin test reaction should be read between 48 and 72 hours after administration by the public health nurse or other health care worker trained to read TST results. A patient who does not return within 72 hours will need to be rescheduled for another skin test.

We also provide TB testing for inmates at the request of the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office. Nurses provide exams for minor complaints such as sore mouth, removal of stitches, inspection of skin, and other requests, to insure safety for all involved.