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 To promote and protect the health of our community, the Gallatin City-County Health Department (GCCHD) Communicable Disease Team investigates individual cases and outbreaks of communicable diseases. Communicable diseases are those that can be spread to others through air, touch or direct contact. Some of the most common communicable diseases included chlamydia, hepatitis A, B, & C, giardia, salmonella, campylobacter, and vaccine preventable diseases such as pertussis. It is necessary for the Health Department to track communicable diseases to prevent transmission of disease, as well as prevention of outbreaks.
Diseases that the Health Department conducts follow-up on are called reportable diseases. Health care providers are required by law to submit reportable disease information to their local health department. There are currently over 50 diseases and/or conditions that are reportable in Montana. View the 10-year trend of reportable diseases in Gallatin County.
When diseases are reported, the GCCHD staff conducts confidential investigations to determine a source of infection, identify contacts and provide education. All communicable diseases must be investigated thoroughly to prevent the spread of disease.
In addition to tracking and monitoring communicable diseases, the CD team works to control and contain the spread of diseases, monitor disease trends, provide current statistics. The GCCHD CD team is also available to provide information to the community regarding communicable diseases.
Tuberculosis Program
The TB program works in collaboration with health care providers to conduct surveillance for TB disease and latent TB infection. Program activities include identifying all person diagnosed or suspected of having TB through reporting by health care providers, providing directly observed therapy (DOT) if indicated, follow-up of contacts and offering TB skin testing.
Ryan White HIV/AIDS Case Management
This client centered program links HIV/AIDS infected individuals to appropriate medical resources. The goal is to ensure timely, coordinated access to medically appropriate levels of health care and support services.
Animal Bites
The State of Montana requires that all animal bites be reported. GCCHD receives these reports and coordinates follow-up with the animal, the owner and the victim to ensure that no further threat exists.
Montana Hepatitis B Perinatal Program
The State of Montana provides Hepatitis B Immune Globulin and Hepatitis B vaccine to infants born to women who are infected with the Hepatitis B virus. GCCHD coordinates with local health care providers in identifying these women prior to delivery, coordinating delivery and administration of immune globulin and vaccine and providing follow-up of the child through the first year of life.
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