A phone call from a pediatrician in Harrison, Ohio, led to a Franklin County Health Department investigation, supervisor Diane Turney told board members April 15. Without a quorum, there was no meeting, but employees and members informally discussed quarterly reports.

Health officer Dr. Michael Fain, Oxford, Ohio, said, “Evidently a teenage boy contracted hepatitis C. His physician thought he got it at a Brookville tattoo parlor” during a piercing.

Persons under 18 need parental consent before such procedures. When Turney investigated, she learned the young man was under 18 and notified Prosecutor Melvin Wilhelm that Eternal Arts, Brookville, had performed a piercing without the parents’ knowledge. He advised her to have Brookville police investigate.

According to Turney, “Now this mother is saying there are other kids” who got piercings without parental notification. The law says persons must be 18, "but it doesn't say how you're going to know that. If you ask them (and they are younger), they're going to lie.”

She wants to get the county’s tattoo shop ordinance revised so that the shop must keep a copy of valid proof of age on file for two years.

According to Fain, “We'll never know where he got hepatitis.” The teen could have contracted it "years ago."

Eugene Stewart, Brookville, asked whether people who have had shingles in the past should consider the new immunization. The physician said it is recommended now for persons over 60, who are more prone to get it. The immunization reduces the chance of getting itchy, painful infection by about 50 percent. Persons with shingles "can be miserable. Here's the big problem: Right now insurance companies are not covering it.” Physicians may not stock the vaccine, but can order it upon request.

He talked about another new immunization, Guardisil, which helps prevent cervical cancer. “It’s a very good vaccination, but very controversial.”

Recommended for teenage girls, “it's going to save innocent lives,” he believed.

Nurse Angie Ruther seemed to have done more investigations than usual – two for hepatitis C and one each for campylobacter, hepatitis B, histoplasmosis and salmonella. “We've been getting a lot of them,” agreed Turney. She pointed out they were not all new cases. Some were chronic infections. The test for histoplasmosis came back negative and the salmonella was not contracted at a restaurant, but a private residence.

A pet raccoon bit its owner. The head was sent to the Indiana Department of Health for analysis. Rabies was not found, sanitarian Joe Meier reported.

Jim Adams, Laurel Township, verbally resigned from the board, according to Turney.

She told board members to think about nominating a replacement. “It might be nice to get somebody in law enforcement.” Fain suggested the new member should be a person from Laurel, Oldenburg, New Trenton or another town not already represented. “A teacher would be good – someone who is observing kids on a daily basis.”

The supervisor will review what types of board members are suggested in state guidelines.

Debbie Blank can be contacted at 812-934-4343, Ext. 113; or debbie.blank@ batesvilleheraldtribune.com.