February 18, 2012    07:20 am Sabrina Ambler, MML News Reporter

Sonora, CA — the first case of influenza was positively identified yesterday in Tuolumne County marking an unusually late start to flu season.

According to Tuolumne County Health Officer, Dr. Todd Stolp, “flu season is any month, usually from October to March, in which officials expect people to contract influenza.” Dr. Stolp noted that last winter reports of positive tests for influenza started January 25th and peaked February 26th. he noted that hundreds of people likely had the flu last year but many do not report their symptoms and even fewer are tested for influenza. in the winter of 2009 the peak of the reports occurred much earlier at the end of October.

According to an associated Press report, this year is the slowest start to a flu season in nearly 25 years. Citing CDC officials, it was noted that the flu season hasn’t occurred this late since the winter of 1987-1988. the report noted nationally only California in the last two weeks, and Missouri, have documented cases so far.

According to Dr. Stolp numerous cases of RSV, (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) a fairly common respiratory virus, with similar symptoms to influenza have been reported in Tuolumne County this winter.

Influenza is highly contagious, health officials recommend frequent hand washing, coughing into your elbow, and staying at home when you are sick.

Written by Sabrina Ambler

The release of the Year to Date 2010 Morbidity Report for Tuolumne County revealed a startling 109 reported cases of chlamydia in the calendar year.

“We’ve been tackling the problem with increases in sexually transmitted illnesses for a number of years,” said Tuolumne County Health Officer Dr. Todd Stolp said.

    The majority of the 109 cases reported were high school aged females, Stolp said. Males tend not to get screened for sexually transmitted infections as often, due to the fact that they typically do not present symptoms, he said.     Forty-four cases of chlamydia were reported in Calaveras County in the 2010 calendar year. Eighty percent of cases reported were female, while 30 percent were girls under age 18, according to Dr. Dean Kelaita, Calaveras County’s public health officer.     “The peak occurrence of chlamydia for a number of years has been different for the two genders. for females, it peaks around age 17. for males, peak occurs around age 25,” Stolp said.     since the bacteria initially infects the cervix, which is not fully matured in teenage girls and young women, they are more susceptible to infection if sexually active, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.     “Chlamydia is the most common cause of female sterility (if untreated). it does have a very significant role in our lives and health,” Stolp said.     Testing for STDs has become more accessible in the last five years, according to Stolp, who said that the health van that goes to all the schools in the county has been a useful tool in helping identify several cases among high school students as a result. The Tuolumne County Health Department continues to make confidential screening available as well, he said.     Although chlamydia can be easily treated and cured by administering antibiotics once diagnosed, CDC recommends annual screening for sexually active women age 25 and younger to prevent further complications from developing.     “We’ve seen a continual rise (in the spread of chlamydia) not just in California, but across the U.S., which is why we’ve tried to increase awareness,” Stolp said.