Texas County Government
Public Health History
Epidemiology in Action
Zoonosis and Animal Control
Hays County Facts
100

This governing body runs each Texas county and includes a county judge and four commissioners.

What is the Commissioners Court?

100

This disease was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 1979.

What is smallpox?

100

An “epi curve” shows this over time.

What is the number of cases?

100

This viral disease, often spread by bats and skunks, is a major zoonotic concern in Texas.

What is rabies?

100

This city is the county seat and home to Texas State University.

What is San Marcos?

200

Unlike many states, Texas counties do not operate these public institutions, often run by cities or special districts.

What are public schools?

200

The 1918 pandemic was caused by this type of virus.

What is the influenza virus?

200

This term refers to the number of new cases in a population during a specific time.

What is incidence?

200

This Texas DSHS branch focuses on diseases transmitted from animals to humans.

What is Zoonosis Control?

200

Hays County is part of this fast-growing Texas metro area.

What is the Austin-Round Rock metro area?

300

Texas counties follow this type of executive model, where power is distributed among independently elected officials.

What is a plural executive model?

300

This federal agency was created in 1946 to protect public health.

What is the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)?

300

The first identified case in an outbreak is called this.

What is the index case?

300

This flea-borne disease, once associated with rats, still appears in Texas cities.

What is murine typhus?

300

This Texas Ranger and Mexican–American War officer is the county’s namesake.

Who is John Coffee "Jack" Hays?

400

This official in Texas counties often leads emergency management efforts and presides over the commissioners court.

Who is the County Judge?

400

This infamous study involved unethical research on Black men with syphilis.

What is the Tuskegee Study?

400

This type of study follows a group over time to observe outcomes.

What is a cohort study?

400

This insect transmits Chagas disease, which is monitored by Texas public health.

What is the kissing bug (Triatomine)?

400

Hays County was officially formed in this year.

What is 1848?

500

Texas has this many counties—more than any other U.S. state.

What is 254?

500

This 2010 law expanded access to healthcare and public health funding.

What is the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?


500

This measure compares disease risk between exposed and unexposed groups.

What is relative risk?


500

This program vaccinates wildlife against rabies using bait dropped from planes.

What is the Oral Rabies Vaccination Program (ORVP)?


500

As of 2023, this is the estimated population of Hays County.

What is 280,000 ish?