OCR Text |
Show Diptheria epedemic in Arizona Residents advised to immunizise not been fully immunized are advised to obtain this immunization im-munization eithr from their family physician or from the Immunization Clinics of the District Health Department without charge. Immunizations clinics for Iron County are held every Wednesday Wed-nesday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the offices of the Southwestern Utah District Health Department located at the Valley View Medical Center. W. David Trafton, M.D., P.P.H., Medical Director of the Southwestern District Health Department, announces that an epidemic of Diptheria, in adults as well as children, has broken out in Arizona and New Mexico. At present, this epidemic is primarily in low-income groups in the Phoenix area, where the County Health Department has instituted a crash program of Diptheria immunizations in the population at risk. Diptheria is an acute infectious disease of the throat, characterized charac-terized by a sore throat, enlarged neck glands, and in severe cases, swelling of the neck. It is treatable with penicillin. Immunization against Diptheria Dip-theria is included in the DPT vaccine routinely administered to children in early childhood. Some children, however, may not have received complete immunization against Diptheria. Some adults who may not have been fully immunized in childhood would also be susceptible. Diptheria is transmitted from patients or carriers by discharges from the nose and throat, or by articles soiled with such discharges, or occasionally through raw milk. An infected individual can transmit the disease for 4 weeks. The incubation in-cubation period is usually 2-5 days. Although no cases have yet been identified in Southern Utah, there is a definite possibility that this disease will spread through this area. All persons who have |