Communicable Disease Office
The Ventura County Public Health Communicable Disease (CD) office detects, investigates, controls, and prevents the spread of communicable diseases in Ventura County. The CD office receives Confidential Morbidity Reports (CMR) from laboratories and health care providers for more than 85 legally reportable diseases. Our team investigates these reports, monitors emerging infectious diseases, analyzes disease trends in the county, and works closely with California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Health care providers are required to report all suspected and confirmed reportable cases of communicable diseases and/or other unusual diseases by filling out a CMR form.
For information on how to report a disease/condition, click here. To locate Ventura County Health Officer’s Hot Tips and other important health announcements, click here.
Current Diseases and Conditions of Concern:
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
Current Activity
- No human cases of Avian Influenza H5N1 have been reported in Ventura County.
About
Prevention
- You are at higher risk if you:
- Work with or are around poultry, dairy cows, alpacas, or wildlife.
- Are exposed to animal fluids, feces, or feathers.
- Consume or handle raw (unpasteurized) milk.
- There is no current transmission from person-to-person documented in the United States.
- If you come across sick or dead birds or wildlife, do not touch or handle them.
- To report sick or dead wild birds or waterfowl, please call the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at (916) 358-2790.
- For questions or to report sick or dead birds from a backyard or commercial flock, please call the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Sick Bird Hotline at (866) 922-2473.
Educational Materials
- CDFA: Signs of Disease in Poultry and Pet Birds – English | Spanish
- CDPH: Take Care at the Fair Flyer – English
- CDPH: Reduce Your Risk Around Animals Poster – English | Spanish
- CDC: This Fair Season Poster – English | Spanish
Resources for Medical Providers
Leptospirosis
Current Activity
- No cases in Ventura County to date in 2025.
- In 2024, there were 19 cases in Ventura County associated with an agricultural source.
About
Prevention & Educational Materials
- For people who work in the Agricultural Industry
Resources for Medical Providers
Measles
Current Activity
- No cases of measles have been reported in Ventura County this year.
- For California data, visit CDPH Measles.
- For U.S. data, visit CDC Measles Cases and Outbreaks.
About
- Measles, also called rubeola, is a highly contagious illness caused by a virus.
- There is no cure for measles. Treatment is focused on relieving symptoms.
Prevention
- The best way to prevent measles is with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses provide 97% protection against measles.
- If you were born before 1957, you are considered immune. If you are unsure, talk to your doctor about how to know your status.
- If you are traveling to an area that has a current measles outbreak, talk with your doctor about ways to reduce your risk.
Educational Materials
- Measles Isn’t Just a Little Rash – English | Spanish (CDC)
- Visiting Another Country? Think Measles – English | Spanish (CDPH)
Resources for Medical Providers
Valley Fever (Coccidiomycosis)
Current Activity
- Over the past decade, climactic factors have allowed the fungus to expand its foothold throughout most of the Central Coast of California including Ventura County. In recent years, the incidence of Valley fever illness reported in Ventura County has continued to increase. Between January and March 2025, the number of cases reported exceeded the number of cases reported during the same period last year by over 125%. Residents of Ventura County should remain aware of the presence of Coccidiodes in the area, the risks associated with Valley fever illness, and how to prevent it.
About
- Valley fever is an illness caused by a fungus that grows in soil. The Coccidiodes fungus is present in the soil throughout parts of the Southwestern United States and California. The fungus spores can spread through the air as dust and dirt are disturbed or blown by the wind. People can become sick after breathing in dust carrying these spores.
- CDPH: Valley Fever
- CDC: Valley Fever
Prevention & Educational Materials
- What You Need to Know about Valley Fever in California (Brochure) – English | Spanish (CDPH)
- Valley Fever Poster for the General Public – English | Spanish (CDPH)
- Valley Fever Fact Sheet – English | Spanish | Tagalog (CDPH)
- Valley Fever Could Be More Severe for Certain Groups of People – English | Spanish | Tagalog (CDPH)
- CDPH: Work-Related Valley Fever
Resources for Medical Providers
For more information about disease and conditions not listed above, please visit:
CD Services Provided:
Epidemiological disease surveillance.
Outbreak management.
Infection prevention and control consultation services.
Contact tracing and case investigation.
STI investigation, consultation, and education.
Community outreach on health and safety education, early infection detection, and disease prevention.
Collaborate with other County agencies, such as Environmental Health for foodborne illness and Animal Services for rabies and other animals with human-related diseases.
Monitor pesticide exposure.
CD Office Contact Information:
1801 Solar Drive, Suite 250, Oxnard, CA 93030
Phone: 805-981-5201
FAX: 805-981-5200
Email: VCPH-ID@Ventura.org
Countywide toll free access: 800-781-4449, then dial 1-981-5201
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
After-hours phone: 805-214-7057
