Infectious Diseases

People at highest risk for HIV infection may be able to secure a free HIV test through the Comprehensive Care Clinics (Vermont providers of HIV specialty care) or through the Community Health Center of Burlington (a Federally Qualified Health Center)...

We support free HIV testing at a range of community sites. These sites also offer referral and links to prevention interventions that may help you stop the spread of HIV. People who are sexually active may receive referrals to STD...

Health care providers in Vermont are required to report certain infectious diseases to the Health Department. This information is then used by epidemiologists to track the spread of disease across the state.

Group A strep infections are caused by a type of bacteria responsible for a range of health problems: strep throat, scarlet fever, impetigo (a skin infection) and necrotizing fasciitis.

Because of the risk of pregnant mothers giving the infection to their babies during childbirth, the Health Department recommends that all women be tested for group B strep at 35 to 37 weeks pregnant.

TB is spread through the air when a person with active TB disease coughs, laughs, sings or sneezes. Latent TB infection cannot be spread from one person to another.

The TB skin test and the IGRA blood test are both used to detect latent TB infection. A positive result indicates infection with TB bacteria, but can't tell if a person has a latent TB infection or TB disease.

TB can be treated with antibiotics and successfully cured in most people.Treatment may last for at least six months and sometimes for as long as a year.

The Health Department provides expert medical consultation, educational materials, and medications to treat active TB disease and latent TB infection – at no charge to the patient.

Unsafe injection practices can be a serious threat to a patient’s health.