National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month

Details: Published on Monday, 30 April 2018 10:27

With spring upon us and summer just around the corner the Andrew County Health Department would like to remind you skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. UV damage can also cause wrinkles and blotches or spots on your skin. The good news is that skin cancer can be prevented, and it can almost always be cured when it's found and treated early.

Take simple steps today to protect your skin:

Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m and 4 p.m.
Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. Put on sunscreen every 2 hours and after you swim or sweat.
Cover up with long sleeves and a hat
Check your skin regularly for changes.

This project is/was funded in part by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Maternal and Child Health Services Contract # DH180014004, and is/was supported by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant #B04MC30623, Maternal and Child Health Services for $12,107,084, of which $0 is from non-governmental sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Missouri Poison Center April Newsletter

Details: Published on Monday, 30 April 2018 09:03

Your Spring Mushroom Hunting Guide

Wild mushroom hunting is a popular hobby. Mushroom identification is tricky. Toxic and nontoxic mushrooms can grow side by side, and many mushrooms that can make you sick look just like edible mushrooms. Our best advise is to NEVER pick and eat wild mushrooms unless they've been identified by an expert. Click here for a full guide.

Why Call the Poison Center?

What are SAPs?

Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) balls and beads are used in many ways around the home. Since they are so common, it it important to understand how swallowing them can cause injuries. Learn more here.

Save a Number, Save a Life

Take a moment to save this life saving number now! You may not need us now, but we're here when you do! Program our number into your phone: 1-800-222-1222.

It Happens . . .

The section features REAL calls from REAL people. Because the Missouri Poison Center understands, IT HAPPENS!

Schools Can Call Too

Anonymous Caller:

Poisonings can happen anywhere, especially when children are involved. The poison center gets calls from school nurses every day. Last week, a child was found at lunchtime chewing on the ice pack from his lunch box. It does not take much effort to chew a hole into the pack releasing the blue liquid. A little of the brightly colored liquid goes a long way, it was found around his lips and some was in his mouth, plain to see because his tongue was colored blue.

Missouri Poison Center:

He was sent to the nurse’s office, she immediately called the poison center. Instructions were given to have him swish water and spit out several times and then have something to drink. This lucky little fellow was able to get back to his classroom, with no learning time missed.

Take Home Points:

We are here to help anyone and we get calls from nurses and doctors frequently to help with their poisoning questions. No question is too big or too small.

National Drug Take Back Day

Details: Published on Wednesday, 25 April 2018 09:47

National Drug Take Back Day - Saturday, April 28

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – On Saturday, April 28, law enforcement agencies across the state will be partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to give Missourians the opportunity to discard expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs. Drop off locations, which will operate from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., can be found here. The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services director, Dr. Randall Williams, stresses the importance of this event. “National Drug Take Back Day is a fantastic opportunity for Missourians to clean out their medicine cabinets and discard old or unwanted medicines. It might seem like a small thing but getting rid of these drugs could end up saving a life. Nearly 80 percent of American using heroin reported misusing prescription drugs first and it’s only about five years from when a person who’s misusing prescription drugs moves on to heroin. We must take every step we can to stop this from happening.”

Last October Americans turned in 456 tons (912,305 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug misuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the numbers of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that other methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 28 Take Back Day event go to the DEA Diversion website. The next event will be held in October 2018.

Information on Missouri’s efforts to combat the opioid crisis can also be found by using the tag #MoFightsOpioids on social media.

About the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: The department seeks to be the leader in protecting health and keeping people safe. More information about DHSS can be found at health.mo.gov

Romaine Lettuce Information

Details: Published on Wednesday, 25 April 2018 09:33

Advice to Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers

Information collected to date indicates that romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region could be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and could make people sick.

Advice to Restaurants and Retailers

Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell any romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region. This includes whole heads and hearts of romaine, chopped romaine, and salads and salad mixes containing romaine lettuce.
Restaurants and retailers should ask their suppliers about the source of their romaine lettuce.

Advice to Consumers

Do not buy or eat romaine lettuce at a grocery store or restaurant unless you can confirm it is not romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona, growing region.
Unless the source of the product is known, consumers anywhere in the United States who have any store-bought romaine lettuce at home should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick. This includes whole heads and hearts of romaine, chopped romaine, and salads and salad mixes containing romaine lettuce. If you do not know if the lettuce is romaine, do not eat it and throw it away.

Product labels often do not identify growing regions; so, throw out any romaine lettuce if you’re uncertain about where it was grown.
Wash and sanitize drawers or shelves in refrigerators where romaine lettuce was stored. Follow these five steps to clean your refrigerator.

Take action if you have symptoms of an E. coli infection:

Talk to your healthcare provider.
Write down what you ate in the week before you started to get sick.
Report your illness to the health department.
Assist public health investigators by answering questions about your illness.

Follow these general ways to prevent E. coli infection:

Wash your hands. Wash hands after using the restroom or changing diapers, before and after preparing or eating food, and after contact with animals.
Don’t prepare food or drink for others when you are sick.
Cook meats thoroughly to kill harmful germs. Cook steaks and roasts to at least 145˚F and let rest for 3 minutes after you remove meat from the grill or stove. Cook ground beef and pork to at least 160˚F. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of the meat.
Don’t cross-contaminate food preparation areas. Thoroughly wash hands, counters, cutting boards, and utensils after they touch raw meat.
Wash fruits and vegetables before eating, unless the package says the contents have been washed.
Avoid raw milk, other unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices.

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