Tag Archive

Mark dowell

Sep 9, 2019

Two clinics to check the flu-shot off your fall to-do list

Late September through November is prime time for vaccination against the flu virus for people living in Wyoming. Flu season in the Cowboy State typically starts later than other parts of the country, and the flu vaccination gets weaker over time, says Dr. Mark Dowell, an infectious disease doctor at Wyoming Medical Center and Rocky Mountain Infectious Diseases. Getting your shot now provides the best window for the strongest protection. More »

Apr 11, 2017

Germ-killing robots help protect patients from infections

UV light disinfection is the latest advancement in the arm’s race against Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI). As hospitals up the arsenal in new chemicals and cleaning techniques, germs adapt and become harder to kill (similar to how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics.) The IRS 1140m UV Light Disinfection system destroys the DNA and RNA micro-organisms need to reproduce. Wyoming Medical Center now employs this system in our never-ending effort to provide the safest, highest-quality of care to everyone who walks through our doors. More »

Dec 15, 2016

How serious is the norovirus outbreak? 7 questions with Mark Dowell, M.D.

It’s often called the stomach flu or food poisoning. It can ruin a business’ reputation and strip the cheer from the company Christmas party. It is the scourge of daycares, nursing homes and classrooms. It is norovirus, and according to a press release from the Wyoming Department of Health, it is spreading through Casper and Cheyenne. More »

Nov 14, 2016

How do bacteria become resistant to antibiotics? 7 questions with infectious disease specialist Mark Dowell, M.D.

In America, at least 23,000 people die every year from infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another 2 million become sick from resistant bacteria .Antibiotic use (or misuse) is the No. 1 factor leading to antibiotic resistance. That’s why the CDC designated Nov. 14-18 Get Smart About Antibiotics Week. Here, Mark Dowell, M.D., answers common questions about antibiotic resistance. More »

Jul 1, 2016

Summer Safety Series | Mosquitoes, ticks, deer flies can spread infections while feasting on your flesh

Something to remember while planning your summer picnic with family and friends: Mosquitoes, ticks and deer flies are hoping to make a picnic out of you. Bug bites aren’t just itchy and annoying. A man in Big Horn County died last year in an outbreak of tularemia that sickened 22 people. Here’s a look at the infections these blood suckers could spread after puncturing your skin with their flexible probing mouthparts this holiday weekend. More »

Jun 15, 2016

Summer Safety Series | Should I avoid Zika areas if I want to get pregnant? 7 questions with Mark Dowell, M.D.

The Zika virus is carried by a mosquito closely related to the carrier of yellow fever, and it has been shown to cause alarming birth defects in newborn babies. So far, it’s been reported in Africa, the Caribbean, and areas of South and Central America. Do we, in the great northern state of Wyoming, have anything to worry about? Here, infectious disease specialist Mark Dowell, M.D., answers seven questions about Zika basics. More »

Sep 29, 2015

When a sliver turned septic, Wyoming Medical Center's Code Sep sprang into action

Kaye Phiriot poses in the lobby of Wyoming Medical Center. A sliver in her right thumb turned septic and might have taken her life had she not ... More »

Sep 1, 2015

Wyoming, wait for October to get your flu shot. Here's why

Three looks of the influenza A virus, from left: A colorized transmission micrograph of Avian flu (CDC), Influenza A 'late passage' (CDC), and 'H1N1 navbox' (Cybercobra) Since ... More »

Aug 27, 2015

What you should know about tularemia

This week, the Wyoming Department of Health reported that tularemia had killed a Big Horn County man and sickened at least 10 others across the state: five in ... More »

Dec 8, 2014

Dr. Mark Dowell urges flu shots despite mutated H3N2 strain

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the 2014-2015 flu vaccine is not as protective as hoped for the seasonal influenza A H3N2 virus, a ... More »

Aug 25, 2014

What you should know about Ebola: Infectious disease specialist answers 10 common questions

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has killed more than 1,500 people and infected more than 2,500. The news reports can be scary and sometimes contradictory, while the ... More »

Jun 9, 2014

Meet Our Docs: Dr. Mark Dowell thinks ‘life is full of pus-abilities'

Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Mark Dowell is medical director of infection control at Wyoming Medical Center. As an infectious disease specialist, Dr. Mark Dowell wears his chlamydia ... More »

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