Working to Keep Oregonians Healthy
Disease prevention and control is a cooperative effort involving health care providers, local and state health department personnel and members of the community. Oregon Public Health Division programs work to prevent the emergence and spread of communicable diseases. This includes collecting and analyzing disease reports, studying risk factors, protecting exposed individuals and families, developing guidelines for disease prevention and control, and planning and responding to public health emergencies involving communicable diseases.
Protecting the population from communicable diseases is one of seven priority areas from Oregon's State Health Improvement Plan.
Featured News
Avoid Getting Sick from Swimming
Water-related illnesses are caused by germs that live in fountains, spas, pools, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. You can get a water-related disease by swallowing contaminated water, breathing mists, or by other contact with bodies of water.
Learn some tips so you don't get sick when swimming.
Be informed of safe water practices
Summer is here! Mosquitoes and ticks are biting!
More than a nuisance, mosquitoes can pose a serious health threat to people. Disease can be spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. Over 50 different mosquito species can be found in Oregon and many are vectors for diseases, such as West Nile virus, western equine encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis.
Mosquitoes can carry disease like heartworm disease which can cause a serious health threat to your pet. Consult your veterinarian to protect your pets against diseases carried by mosquitoes.
Learn more about mosquitoes and bites:
Mosquito Factsheet (pdf) Pets and Parasites: Heartworms