MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Nov 2014
Establishment of a community care center for isolation and management of Ebola patients - Bomi County, Liberia, October 2014.
As of October 29, 2014, a total of 6,454 Ebola virus disease (Ebola) cases had been reported in Liberia by the Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, with 2,609 deaths. Although the national strategy for combating the ongoing Ebola epidemic calls for construction of Ebola treatment units (ETUs) in all 15 counties of Liberia, only a limited number are operational, and most of these are within Montserrado County. ETUs are intended to improve medical care delivery to persons whose illnesses meet Ebola case definitions, while also allowing for the safe isolation of patients to break chains of transmission in the community. ⋯ CCCs often have less bed capacity than ETUs and are frequently placed in areas not served by ETUs; if built rapidly enough and in sufficient quantity, CCCs will allow Ebola-related health measures to reach a larger proportion of the population. Staffing requirements for CCCs are frequently lower than for ETUs because CCCs are often designed such that basic patient needs such as food are provided for by friends and family of patients rather than by CCC staff. (It is customary in Liberia for friends and family to provide food for hospitalized patients.) Creation of CCCs in Liberia has been led by county health officials and nongovernmental organizations, and this local, community-based approach is intended to destigmatize Ebola, to encourage persons with illness to seek care rather than remain at home, and to facilitate contact tracing of exposed family members. This report describes one Liberian county's approach to establishing a CCC.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Nov 2014
Premature deaths among children with epilepsy - South Carolina, 2000-2011.
Epilepsy is a common childhood neurologic disorder. In 2007, epilepsy affected an estimated 450,000 children aged 0-17 years in the United States. Approximately 53% of children with epilepsy and special health care needs have co-occurring conditions, and only about one third have access to comprehensive care. ⋯ Team-based care coordination across medical and nonmedical systems can improve outcomes and reduce health care costs for children with special health care needs, but they require more study among children with epilepsy. Ensuring appropriate and timely health care and social services for children with epilepsy, especially those with complications, might reduce the risk for premature death. Health care providers, social service providers, advocacy groups and others can work together to assess whether coordinated care can improve outcomes for children with epilepsy.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Oct 2014
Update: Ebola virus disease outbreak--West Africa, October 2014.
CDC is assisting ministries of health and working with other organizations to control and end the ongoing outbreak of Ebola virus disease (Ebola) in West Africa. The updated data in this report were compiled from situation reports from the Guinea Interministerial Committee for Response Against the Ebola Virus and the World Health Organization, the Liberia Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation. Total case counts include all suspected, probable, and confirmed cases as defined by each country. These data reflect reported cases, which make up an unknown proportion of all actual cases and reporting delays that vary from country to country.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Oct 2014
Notes from the field: update on Lyme carditis, groups at high risk, and frequency of associated sudden cardiac death--United States.
On December 13, 2013, MMWR published a report describing three cases of sudden cardiac death associated with Lyme carditis. State public health departments and CDC conducted a follow-up investigation to determine 1) whether carditis was disproportionately common among certain demographic groups of patients diagnosed with Lyme disease, 2) the frequency of death among patients diagnosed with Lyme disease and Lyme carditis, and 3) whether any additional deaths potentially attributable to Lyme carditis could be identified. Lyme disease cases are reported to CDC through the Nationally Notifiable Disease Surveillance System; reporting of clinical features, including Lyme carditis, is optional. ⋯ Median age of patients with Lyme carditis was 43 years (range = 1-99 years); 1,209 (65%) of the patients were male, which is disproportionately larger than the male proportion among patients with other clinical manifestations (p<0.001). Of cases with this information available, 69% were diagnosed during the months of June-August, and 42% patients had an accompanying erythema migrans, a characteristic rash. Relative to patients aged 55-59 years, carditis was more common among men aged 20-39 years, women aged 25-29 years, and persons aged ≥75 years.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Oct 2014
Historical ArticleHistory and evolution of the advisory committee on immunization practices--United States, 1964-2014.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is chartered as a federal advisory committee to provide expert external advice to CDC and the Secretary of the U. S. ⋯ S. Public Health Service (USPHS).