MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Dec 1997
Alcohol involvement in fatal motor-vehicle crashes--United States, 1995-1996.
The table and figure on page 1155 compare alcohol involvement in fatal motor-vehicle crashes for 1995 and 1996. A fatal crash is considered alcohol-related by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) if either a driver or non-occupant (e.g., pedestrian) had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of > or = 0.01 g/dL in a police-reported traffic crash. Because BACs are not available for all persons in fatal crashes, NHTSA estimates the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities based on a discriminant analysis of information from all cases for which driver or nonoccupant BAC data are available.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Nov 1997
Case ReportsCreutzfeldt-Jakob disease associated with cadaveric dura mater grafts -- Japan, January 1979-May 1996.
In 1997, a nongovernmental surveillance group for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in Japan reported to the Ministry of Health and Welfare its analysis of a 1996 mail questionnaire survey of neurologic, psychiatric, and neuropathologic institutions throughout Japan. This analysis identified 829 patients with CJD diagnosed by physicians during January 1979-May 1996, including a large number (43 patients) who had received a cadaveric dura mater graft during a neurosurgical (42) or orthopedic (one) procedure during 1979-1991. This report presents a summary of features of these 43 cases, which indicated that at least 41 of these patients had received dura mater grafts from the same processor, and describes CJD in the most recent recipient of a dura mater graft. The findings indicate that an international outbreak of CJD associated with a single brand of dura mater grafts is larger than previously recognized and that recipients of contaminated grafts may remain at risk for CJD at least 16 years following receipt of grafts.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Nov 1997
Filter ventilation levels in selected U.S. cigarettes, 1997.
Cigarette brands that deliver < or = 15 mg of tar in official smoking-machine tests accounted for 72.7% of total cigarette sales in 1995. Many of these brands use ventilated filters-a system with small perforations around the filter that are designed to draw in additional air during smoking. ⋯ S. cigarettes that have tar yields rated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as ranging from 1 mg-18 mg; the report also examines the correlation between the degree of filter ventilation and tar yield. The findings indicate that 30 (94%) of 32 brands tested were ventilated and that percentage filter ventilation varied inversely with standard tar, nicotine, and CO yields.
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During 1980-1993, the incidence of landmine-related injuries doubled, resulting in an estimated 2000 deaths or injuries each month. Approximately 120 million landmines are buried in 71 countries throughout the world, and 2-5 million new landmines are planted each year. Some countries, such as Afghanistan, Angola, and Cambodia, have approximately 10 million landmines each. ⋯ However, the consequences of landmines extend beyond the borders of those countries. Health-care workers and nongovernmental organizations are increasingly asked to assist emergency-affected, displaced, and refugee populations in regional conflicts, resulting in their increased exposure to landmines. This report describes three cases of landmine-related injury and illustrates the public health consequences of those injuries and the potential role for public health workers in preventing those injuries.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Jun 1997
Status of public health--Democratic People's Republic of Korea, April 1997.
During 1995 and 1996, severe flooding in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (i.e., North Korea (DPRK) (1990 population: 22 million)) (Figure 1) caused 186 deaths, dislocated approximately 550,000 persons from their homes, and caused damage to an estimated 1.2 million metric tons of crops (12% of total production). In combination with systemic economic problems in DPRK, these natural disasters have been associated with reports of a severe, ongoing food shortage and increased risks to public health. To assist in targeting humanitarian aid, in April 1997, the U. ⋯ S. Foreign Disaster Assistance requested CDC to conduct an onsite assessment of the public health status and needs of the DPRK. This report summarizes findings of the assessment, which indicate a recent substantial decline in the health and nutritional status in DPRK.