Supporting Abortion Access Post-Dobbs: Understanding U.S. Challenges and Helping Patients Access Abortion in LA County

November 20, 2025

Abortion restrictions across the U.S. are reshaping clinical practice, with serious implications for patient safety and access. This article examines how these changes are affecting care and highlights how LA County’s Abortion Safe Haven Project helps clinicians connect patients to timely, safe abortion services.  READ MORE

U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week: Advancing Responsible Prescribing in LA County

November 18, 2028

U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (November 18–24) is dedicated to increasing awareness among the public and healthcare professionals about the serious threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of responsible antibiotic use. This year, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) is highlighting key areas of unnecessary antibiotic use and encouraging healthcare providers to share the following resources with patients, caregivers, and healthcare teams to support safe and appropriate antibiotic use. READ MORE

Penicillin Allergy Delabeling - The Benefits of Addressing Penicillin Allergy and How to Select and Delabel Suitable Patients

Department of Public Health Webinars and Toolkit

CME available

June 23, 2025

Approximately 10% of patients self-report an allergy to penicillin but over 90% of these individuals are not truly allergic. This widespread mislabeling has significant clinical consequences. Multiple medical organizations advocate for the implementation of penicillin allergy delabeling protocols. These programs do not require an allergist and can be safely performed in most healthcare settings. Two webinars and a toolkit describe the benefits of penicillin allergy delabeling and include guidelines for addressing penicillin allergy.  READ MORE

Health Care Provider Virtual Training: Environmental Odors and Health

CME available

June 12  View on-demand webinar

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is hosting a training for healthcare providers on environmental odors and health. This training equips providers with the knowledge and skills to:

• Understand how environmental odors can impact health
• Recognize odor related symptoms
• Determine appropriate management strategies for patients experiencing odor-related issues.

Participants will also learn to access and apply key resources from CDC, ATSDR, and California specific agencies.

For details, view the flyer. 

Recognizing and Reporting Congenital Cytomegalovirus

CME available

April 30, 2025

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the most common infectious cause of birth defects and the leading cause of non-genetic sensorineural hearing loss. Early diagnosis and treatment of infants helps improve outcomes. cCMV was recently added to the Los Angeles County Reportable Diseases and Conditions list.

This article covers the background, clinical presentation, diagnosis, management, and reporting of cCMV, as well as the importance of surveillance and reporting.  READ MORE

Flea-borne (Murine) Typhus: A Re-emerging Threat in the United States - CDC Webinar 3/27/25

Recording and slides now available

During the last 25 years, flea-borne (murine) typhus, a potentially life-threatening rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia typhi, has re-emerged with a vengeance across multiple urban centers in the United States. This is strikingly evident in Los Angeles (LA) County where Public Health has documented a dramatic rise in cases to a record high of 187 cases in 2024.

Several vertebrate species associated with urban and peri-urban habitats, including rats, opossums, and several species of fleas, contribute to the zoonotic transmission of R. typhi to susceptible human hosts. Flea-borne (murine) typhus is treatable with antibiotics, and people who are treated early in the infection recover quickly. Severe disease that can include meningoencephalitis, myocarditis, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, or death may occur in people if treatment is delayed, or if the diagnosis is missed.

For more information, see the MMWR report on flea-borne typhus associated deaths in LA County in 2022, and the LA County typhus webpage which has data, resources for the public, and information on testing and reporting.

Given the growing impact of murine typhus across U.S. urban centers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is hosted and recorded a webinar/COCA Call (with CME/CE) for healthcare professionals: CDC COCA Call: Murine Typhus – Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Re-emergence in the U.S. 

Rx for Prevention, 2025