Communicable Disease

LPCPH’s Communicable Disease team investigates infectious diseases that can be spread in a variety of ways: from one person to another, from an animal to a person, or through eating contaminated food and water. Bacteria and viruses most often cause communicable diseases, and this may happen through:

• direct contact with a person who is contagious
• contact with blood and other body fluids
• inhaling contaminated droplets from another person’s cough or sneeze
• receiving a bite from an animal or insect carrying the bacteria or viruses
• consuming contaminated water or foods

By law, certain diseases must be reported to public health agencies from health care providers and laboratories to keep the illness from spreading. These diseases are referred to as Reportable Diseases. When these diseases are reported to the health department, we work to determine where a person got sick and to prevent further spread of illness. We also work to prevent the occurrence of diseases in our communities through education.

Helpful Links

• CDPHE Communicable Disease Manual
• Colorado Reportable Disease Statistics
• Immunizations