Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) Program

Concentrated levels of the PSP toxins can develop in California mussels when they feed on certain naturally occurring marine plankton. The State of California, Department of Health Services (DHS) imposes a statewide quarantine on mussels taken by sport harvesters from May 1 through October 31.

• Eleven cases of PSP were reported in California (all from Sonoma County) in 1991 but none in the past 8 years.
• EH collects mussel samples and sends them to DHS for testing each year.

Contact Us

Ft Bragg Nursing: 120 West Fir Street
(707) 463-4466

Ft Bragg EH: 790 South Franklin Street
(707) 961-2714

Rabies Surveillance

Environmental Health in conjunction with Animal Control tracks cases of humans bitten by animals and sends suspected rabid animals to the Public Health Laboratory for testing.

• An average of 327 animal bites were reported annually in Mendocino County from 1993 to 1997 with a decrease to 315 in 1998.
• The percentage of animals tested for rabies compared to the total number of reported bites ranged from 21% in 1993, dropping to 8% in 1994, 10% in 1995 and 1996, 14% in 1997, and 19% in 1998.
• 2% of those reported (or 7 animals out of 315 reported) were found positive for rabies in 1998 which is average over the past 5 years.

Contact Us

Ukiah: 501 Low Gap Road, Room 1326
(707) 463-4466

Ft Bragg: 790 South Franklin Street
(707) 961-2714

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