The Douglas County Health Department conducts disease surveillance to control the spread of communicable (contagious) disease. These diseases can be spread in a variety of ways: person to person, contact with animals, or eating contaminated food and water. This includes serious diseases such as E. coli, Salmonella, and rabies.
Certain infectious diseases are required by law to be reported to public health within specified time frames. All animal bites that break the skin should be reported to public health. Public health should also be notified if a person has any close contact with a bat.