MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · May 2008
Case ReportsPrimary amebic meningoencephalitis--Arizona, Florida, and Texas, 2007.
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rare but nearly always fatal disease caused by infection with Naegleria fowleri, a thermophilic, free-living ameba found in freshwater environments. Infection results from water containing N. fowleri entering the nose, followed by migration of the amebae to the brain via the olfactory nerve. ⋯ This report summarizes the investigations of the cases, which occurred in three southern tier states (Arizona, Florida, and Texas) during June-September and presents preliminary results from a review of PAM cases during 1937-2007. Because deaths from PAM often prompt heightened concern about the disease among the public, an updated and consistent approach to N. fowleri risk reduction messages, diagnosis and treatment, case reporting, and environmental sampling is needed.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · May 2008
Acute hepatitis C virus infections attributed to unsafe injection practices at an endoscopy clinic--Nevada, 2007.
On January 2, 2008, the Nevada State Health Division (NSHD) contacted CDC concerning surveillance reports received by the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) regarding two persons recently diagnosed with acute hepatitis C. A third person with acute hepatitis C was reported the following day. This raised concerns about an outbreak because SNHD typically confirms four or fewer cases of acute hepatitis C per year. ⋯ Health officials advised clinic A to stop unsafe injection practices immediately, and approximately 40,000 patients of the clinic were notified about their potential risk for exposure to HCV and other bloodborne pathogens. This report focuses on the six cases of acute hepatitis C identified during the initial investigation, which is ongoing; additional cases of acute hepatitis C associated with exposures at clinic A might be identified. Comprehensive measures involving viral hepatitis surveillance, health-care provider education, public awareness, professional oversight, licensing, and improvements in medical devices can help detect and prevent transmission of HCV and other bloodborne pathogens in health-care settings.