MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report
-
In 2014, a total of 9,412 new tuberculosis (TB) cases were reported in the United States, with an incidence rate of 3.0* cases per 100,000 persons, a decrease of 2.2% from 2013. Although overall numbers of TB cases and rates continue to decline, the percentage decrease in rate is the smallest decrease in over a decade (1). This report summarizes provisional TB surveillance data reported to CDC's National Tuberculosis Surveillance System for 2014. ⋯ Four states (California, Texas, New York, and Florida), representing approximately one third of the U. S. population, accounted for half of all TB cases reported in 2014. Continued progress toward TB elimination in the United States will require focused TB control efforts among populations and in geographic areas with disproportionate burdens of TB.
-
MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Mar 2015
Missed opportunities for tetanus postexposure prophylaxis--California, January 2008-March 2014.
Tetanus is an acute and sometimes fatal disease characterized by sudden muscle contractions. The number of tetanus cases reported annually in the United States has declined significantly since the 1930s and 1940s as a result of the introduction of tetanus vaccines. However, sporadic cases continue to occur in persons who are not up-to-date with tetanus toxoid-containing vaccinations (TT) and do not receive appropriate postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). ⋯ Of 16 patients with an acute injury before illness and diagnosis, nine (56%) sought medical care, and two (22%) of the nine received appropriate PEP. Although tetanus is rare, it is a life-threatening disease that is preventable. Health care providers should ensure that their patients are up-to-date with TT vaccination and provide appropriate postexposure prophylaxis for patients with wounds.
-
MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Mar 2015
Systems for rapidly detecting and treating persons with ebola virus disease--United States.
The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), CDC, other U. ⋯ At the same time, CDC and HHS are working to ensure that persons who have a risk factor for exposure to Ebola and who develop symptoms while in the United States are rapidly identified and isolated, and safely receive treatment. HHS and CDC have actively worked with state and local public health authorities and other partners to accelerate health care preparedness to care for persons under investigation (PUI) for Ebola or with confirmed Ebola. This report describes some of these efforts and their impact.
-
MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Mar 2015
Infant and maternal characteristics in neonatal abstinence syndrome--selected hospitals in Florida, 2010-2011.
Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a constellation of physiologic and neurobehavioral signs exhibited by newborns exposed to addictive prescription or illicit drugs taken by a mother during pregnancy. The number of hospital discharges of newborns diagnosed with NAS has increased more than 10-fold (from 0.4 to 4.4 discharges per 1,000 live births) in Florida since 1995, far exceeding the three-fold increase observed nationally. In February 2014, the Florida Department of Health requested the assistance of CDC to 1) assess the accuracy and validity of using Florida's hospital inpatient discharge data, linked to birth and infant death certificates, as a means of NAS surveillance and 2) describe the characteristics of infants with NAS and their mothers. ⋯ The findings of this investigation underscore the important public health problem of NAS and add to current knowledge on the characteristics of these mothers and infants. Effective June 2014, NAS is now a mandatory reportable condition in Florida. Interventions are also needed to 1) increase the number and use of community resources available to drug-abusing and drug-dependent women of reproductive age, 2) improve drug addiction counseling and rehabilitation referral and documentation policies, and 3) link women to these resources before or earlier in pregnancy.
-
MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Mar 2015
Suicide trends among persons aged 10-24 years--United States, 1994-2012.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among persons aged 10-24 years in the United States and accounted for 5,178 deaths in this age group in 2012. Firearm, suffocation (including hanging), and poisoning (including drug overdose) are the three most common mechanisms of suicide in the United States. Previous reports have noted that trends in suicide rates vary by mechanism and by age group in the United States, with increasing rates of suffocation suicides among young persons. ⋯ Clinicians, hotline staff and others who work with young persons need to be aware of current trends in suffocation suicides in this group so that they can accurately assess risk and educate families. Media coverage of suicide incidents and clusters should follow established guidelines to avoid exacerbating risk for "suicide contagion" among vulnerable young persons.* Suicide contagion is a process by which exposure to the suicide or suicidal behavior of one or more persons influences others who are already vulnerable and thinking about suicide to attempt or die by suicide. Early prevention strategies are needed to reduce the likelihood of young persons developing suicidal thoughts and behavior.