MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · May 2011
Contribution of occupational physical activity toward meeting recommended physical activity guidelines: United States, 2007.
Regular physical activity helps maintain healthy weight and reduces the likelihood of developing chronic diseases. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (1) are derived from the most recent scientific review of physical activity health benefits and do not differentiate among physical activity for leisure, transportation, work, or other purposes. To examine the potential influence of occupational physical activity on meeting minimum weekly aerobic physical activity guidelines, the Washington State Department of Health (WADOH) analyzed demographic patterns in physical activity levels with and without consideration of occupational physical activity using 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. ⋯ When occupational physical activity (defined as reported work activity of mostly walking or heavy labor) was considered, an additional 6.5% of adults likely met the guidelines. The increase was greatest for Hispanic men (14.4%) and men with less than a high school education (15.9%). Public health agencies conducting surveillance of population physical activity levels also should consider including occupational physical activity, which will help to identify demographic groups for targeted programs that increase physical activity.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · May 2011
Case ReportsHuman Jamestown canyon virus infection --- Montana, 2009.
Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen belonging to the California serogroup of bunyaviruses. Although JCV is widely distributed throughout temperate North America, reports of human JCV infection in the United States are rare. This is the first report of human JCV infection detected in Montana, one of only 15 cases reported in the United States since 2004, when JCV became reportable. ⋯ Although West Nile virus (WNV) disease was diagnosed based on detection of WNV-immunoglobulin M (IgM) and G (IgG) antibodies, subsequent testing indicated that the WNV antibodies were from a past infection and that his illness was caused by JCV. The final diagnosis of JCV infection was based on positive JCV-specific IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results and a fourfold rise in paired sample JCV plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) titers. This finding represents a previously unrecognized risk for JCV infection in Montana; clinicians should consider JCV infection when assessing patients for suspected arboviral infections.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · May 2011
Emergency department visits after use of a drug sold as "bath salts"--Michigan, November 13, 2010-March 31, 2011.
On February 1, 2011, in response to multiple news reports, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) contacted the Children's Hospital of Michigan Poison Control Center (PCC) regarding any reports of illness in the state caused by the use of recreational designer drugs sold as "bath salts." Unlike traditional cosmetic bath salts, which are packaged and sold for adding to bath water for soaking and cleaning, the drugs sold as "bath salts" have no legitimate use for bathing and are intended for substance abuse. These products can contain stimulant compounds such as 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) or 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone). The PCC told MDCH that, earlier in the day, the PCC had learned that numerous persons had visited the local emergency department (ED) in Marquette County with cardiovascular and neurologic signs of acute intoxication. ⋯ The coordinated efforts of public health agencies, health-care providers, poison control centers, and law enforcement agencies enabled rapid identification of this emerging health problem. Mitigation of the problem required the execution of an emergency public health order to remove the toxic "bath salts" from the marketplace. Lessons from the Michigan experience could have relevance to other areas of the United States experiencing similar problems.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · May 2011
Violence-related firearm deaths among residents of metropolitan areas and cities---United States, 2006--2007.
Violence-related firearm deaths remain an important public health concern in the United States. During 2006--2007, a total of 25,423 firearm homicides and 34,235 firearm suicides occurred among U. S. residents. ⋯ Firearm suicide rates in just over half of the MSAs were below the national rate, and 55% of cities had rates below those of their MSAs. Youth firearm suicide rates in the MSAs and cities were collectively low compared with all-ages rates. Such variations in firearm homicide and firearm suicide rates, with respect to both urbanization and age, should be considered in the continuing development of prevention programs directed at reducing firearm violence.
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Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhea worldwide among children aged <5 years (1). An estimated 527,000 children in this age group died from rotavirus in 2004, and approximately 85% of those deaths occurred in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa (2). In 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended inclusion of rotavirus vaccination in all national immunization programs (3). ⋯ WHO coordinates a global surveillance network for rotavirus that uses standardized case definitions and laboratory methods at sentinel hospitals to identify cases of rotavirus in children with diarrhea. This report summarizes an assessment of data from the global surveillance network for 2009, which found that, among 43 participating countries that tested ≥ 100 stool specimens and reported results for all 12 months in 2009, a median of 36% of enrolled and tested children aged < 5 years hospitalized with diarrhea (range: 25%-47% among the six WHO regions) tested positive for rotavirus. These data illustrate the important etiologic role of rotavirus in hospitalizations for diarrhea in children worldwide, which can be prevented by rotavirus vaccination.