The goal of this division is to provide essential health care services to the residents of Monroe County in the areas of disease surveillance, clinical services and preventive health education in order to prevent and control the spread of communicable disease.

Programs in this division include the Tuberculosis Control Program, the Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Program, the Immunization Program and the Disease Control Unit.

Immunization Program

Immunization Program
111 Westfall Rd.
Rochester, New York 14692
Phone: 585 753-5150
Fax: 585 753-5160

Pediatric and Adult Clinic Hours: Every Wednesday (Noon until 7:00 p.m.)

The mission of the Immunization Program is to prevent vaccine preventable disease among Monroe County residents by immunizing adults and children and educating residents about vaccine preventable diseases.

Immunization Program Staff:

• Immunize adults and children against Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Haemophilus B influenza (Hib), Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Varicella, Influenza, Meningococcal disease, and Pneumococcal disease.
• Conduct community outreach clinics to immunize “at risk” populations against Hepatitis A and B.
• Partner with area public schools to immunize food handlers against Hepatitis A.
• Partner with community organizations to conduct annual flu clinics.
• Respond to disease outbreaks by conducting special immunization clinics, e.g. Meningitis, Hepatitis A.
• Conduct annual “back-to-school” clinics for Rochester and Monroe County students.
• Participate in the CDC Vaccines for Children Program.
• Serve as an information source about immunization and immunization requirements to area schools, day care centers, private provider offices, and to the general public.
• Conduct immunization audits in providers’ offices to determine immunization rates.
• Provide feedback to providers about methods to increase immunization rates to meet Healthy People 2010 goals.
• Partner with the Monroe County Medical Society and the New York State Department of Health to re-distribute available vaccine in times of shortage and delay.
• Participate in regional immunization coalitions.
• Coordinate the Perinatal Hepatitis B program to ensure adequate testing and treatment of babies born to mothers with Hepatitis B.
• Collaborate with the Monroe County Office of Emergency Preparedness in bioterrorism prevention planning.

Flu Shot Information

Disease Control Unit

The mission of the Disease Control Unit (753-5164) is to prevent transmission of communicable diseases by means of surveillance, investigation, intervention, education, and research.

Disease Control Unit staff responsibilities:

• Investigate all laboratory confirmed cases of more than 30 communicable diseases.
• Attempt to determine the source of infection to facilitate prevention of further disease transmission.
• Report cases and investigation results of communicable diseases to the New York State Department of Health electronically via the Health Information Network (HIN).
• Analyze communicable disease data to determine the presence of disease trends.
• Monitor Rochester Area hospital emergency department data daily for changes in emergency department use or disease patterns that might indicate a health problem in our community e.g. influenza.
• Serve as information source about disease and infection control to area hospitals, schools, day care centers, long term care facilities, and the general public.
• Respond to community need for information about specific health concerns such as West Nile virus, Anthrax, Smallpox, and Hepatitis A.
• Partner with the Food Protection Unit to investigate and control foodborne illness outbreaks.
• Partner with Rabies and Housing to investigate Rabies exposures and determine if prophylaxis treatment is required.
• Partner with the Immunization Program to immunize people identified through disease investigations as being “at risk” for vaccine preventable disease, e.g. Hepatitis A.
• Produce Communicable Disease Fact Sheets used for community education.
• Provide OSHA training for staff.
• Provide NYSDOE mandated infection control training for MCHD nurses.
• Collaborate with area universities in research on: Emerging infections, Pneumonia vaccination and Bioterrorism planning.

Learn more about Common Communicable Diseases.

Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program

The goal of the Tuberculosis Control Program is to decrease the incidence of TB in Monroe County through effective screening, health education, outreach to those at risk and appropriate treatment.

In addition to clinical consultation, the program provides the following services.

• Referrals
• Directly Observed Therapy
• TB Exposure Control
• Educational Presentations
• Community Based Programs
• Outreach Programs
• Refugee Program

The Tuberculosis Clinic is located at 111 Westfall Rd. and is open each weekday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.with extended hours on Wednesday (until 7:00 p.m.).

Appointments are required for most services.

Call 585 753 5161 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

What Is TB and How Is It Spread?

Q. What causes TB?

TB is caused by bacteria that usually affect the lungs, but other parts of the body can also be affected.

Q. Who gets TB infection?

Anyone at any age can become infected with bacteria that cause tuberculosis. Some people at higher risk include:

• people who spend time with a person who has TB disease in the lungs
• the homeless
• the incarcerated
• people who are from countries where TB is endemic
• the elderly
• people who are chemically dependent
• people with poorly managed HIV disease
• people who have medical conditions which impair their immune systems i.e., cancer, diabetes, silicosis.)

Q. What are the symptoms of TB disease?

Symptoms of TB disease include:

• fever
• night sweats
• fatigue
• weight loss
• persistent productive cough, and sometimes, coughing up blood.

TB disease can occur in other parts of the body and show different symptoms, depending on the site.

Q. How do you test for TB?

A simple, painless skin test is used to screen for tuberculosis. This test is offered by the Health Department.

Should the test be positive, you may have a chest X-ray to see if there are any abnormalities in the lungs.

Q. What is the difference between latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease?

People with latent TB infection test positive on their skin test for TB but they are not sick and they can not spread the disease to anyone else.

People with active TB disease are sick and usually have symptoms.

ONLY PEOPLE SICK WITH ACTIVE TB DISEASE CAN SPREAD IT TO OTHERS.

Q. How is tuberculosis spread?

TB is spread in the air. When an untreated person with active TB disease in their lungs coughs, the germs are spread in the air. If a person breathes in the germ which causes TB, they MAY get infected with TB. However, it usually takes exposure over many days before the person becomes infected.

Remember, a person with TB infection and no disease cannot spread the disease.

Q. If infected, who is most likely to develop active TB?

• Medically underserved populations
• Alcoholics and IV drug users
• People whose resistance is low due to conditions such as HIV infection, diabetes, some cancers, and chemotherapy

Q. What is the treatment for TB?

• A person with TB infection is prescribed medication for several months to prevent the development of active TB disease.
• People with active TB disease are given medications for six months or more.
• Regular follow-up by TB clinic staff and directly observed therapy (DOT) are part of the treatment plan as well.

STD/HIV Disease Control Program

We improve the health of the community through the provision of biomedical and behavioral interventions, including provider training. Special emphasis is on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), including HIV, through community collaborations, particularly for underserved populations.

STD/HIV Control Program
111 Westfall Road
Rochester, NY 14692
Phone: 585 753-5375

STD Services

• Sexually transmitted disease surveillance
• Education and follow up for persons recently diagnosed with gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis
• Confidential partner services for select diagnoses
• Free and confidential testing and treatment for STD

Partner Notification Assistance Program (PNAP)

The Partner Notification Assistance Program provides consultation to physicians and other health and human service professionals and assistance for patients.

Services

For providers:

• Discussion of partner notification options
• Assisting a patient in developing a partner notification plan
• Referral of patients for PNAP services
• Outreach for patients who are lost to follow-up care

For patients:

• Patient counseling and referral services
• Notification of partners without revealing the patient’s name
• Counseling on how to talk with partners about being exposed to HIV
• Meeting with patient and partner to assist in the notification

In Monroe County, call 585 753-5375.

Anonymous Testing for HIV

HIV is a virus that can cause AIDS. The HIV antibody test can tell if you have been infected by the virus.

The anonymous HIV counseling and testing program provides counseling to discuss your concerns about HIV infection and AIDS. Counselors can help you identify ways to reduce your risk.

Free anonymous HIV antibody testing with appropriate referrals is available through the New York State Health Department in Rochester. No names are used.

For more information:
Phone: 585 423-8081
Toll-Free: 1-800-962-5063
TDD: 585 423-8120

Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic

Bullshead Plaza
855 West Main St.
Rochester, NY 14611
Phone: 585 753 5481

The STD Clinic staff is committed to providing high quality STD/HIV care to you in a non-judgmental and caring manner. We provide education about STDs and HIV and talk with you about ways to reduce risky sexual behavior and promote healthier choices. Many STDs and HIV are not curable, so prevention is the only “medicine.” Your health is our concern.

This is a public health clinic and your confidentiality is protected by public health laws. Everything you tell us is completely confidential.

All services are free and minors (under 18 years of age) do not need their parent’s consent to be seen.

No Appointment is needed. Walk in Hours:

Monday: 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Thursday: 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.