CDC Media Relations: MMWR News Synopsis for March 12, 1999

Press Summaries

March 12, 1999

MMWR articles are embargoed until 4 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday.

MMWR Synopsis	Update: Influenza Activity--United States, 1998-99 Season Decrease in Infant Mortality and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Among Northwest American Indians and Alaskan Natives--Pacific Northwest, 1985-1996 Preterm Singleton Births--United States, 1989-1996 Incidence of Foodborne Illnesses: Preliminary Data from the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet)--United States, 1998
Fact Sheet:	FoodNet: 1998 Preliminary Data

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Synopsis March 12, 1999

Update: Influenza Activity--United States, 1998-99 Season
Although the flu vaccine this year is effective and well-matched to circulating strains, outbreaks can occur among vaccinated residents of long-term care facilities.

PRESS CONTACT:
Carolyn Bridges, M.D.
CDC, National Center for Infectious Diseases
(404) 639-3747
(Alternate: Sarah Cody, M.D., Santa Clara Department of Health, California, 408 885 4214)

Flu activity in the United States began to increase in mid-January and remained at increased levels in most regions of the country as of the week ending February 27, 1999. Both influenza A and influenza B viruses have been detected from all flu surveillance regions, although, nationally, influenza A (H3N2) viruses predominate. Circulating strains are well matched to influenza strains recommended for the 1998-99 flu vaccine. However, unvaccinated health-care workers may introduce flu-like illnesses into long-term care facilities (LTCF). Therefore, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that health-care workers and others working in LTCFs receive a flu shot each year.

Decrease in Infant Mortality and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Among Northwest American Indians and Alaskan Natives--Pacific Northwest, 1985-1996
Infant mortality and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have declined dramatically among American Indians and Alaska Natives in the Pacific Northwest.

PRESS CONTACT:
Dee Robertson, M.D., M.P.H.
Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center
(503) 228-4185 (Portland, Oregon)

The overall U.S. infant mortality rate has declined steadily for decades, but in the 1980s the rate for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) in the Pacific Northwest was approximately twice as high as the rate for non-AI/AN in the same area. The majority of the excess infant mortality among Northwest AI/AN was due to SIDS. From 1985 to 1996 dramatic reductions occurred in both SIDS and non-SIDS infant mortality among Northwest AI/AN. In addition, the overall infant mortality rate for AI/AN is now approaching that for non-AI/AN in the same area. The reasons for this rapid improvement are not fully understood and further investigations are under way.

Preterm Singleton Births--United States, 1989-1996
Preterm birth rates among singleton infants are increasing among white and decreasing among blacks.

PRESS CONTACT:
Lucinda England, M.D., M.S.P.H.
CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion
(770) 488-5187

Singleton black infants are still twice as likely to be preterm as white infants. Preterm birth, a major cause of morbidity and mortality among infants, has been increasing in the United States over the last decade. Black infants are nearly twice as likely to be preterm as white infants. Recent increases in the rate of multiple births are believed to contribute to increasing rates of preterm birth. When singleton births were examined using U.S. certificates of live birth, rates overall were stable between 1989 and 1996. However, preterm births increased by 8% among white non-Hispanic women and decreased 10% among black non-Hispanic women. These findings are independent of changes in maternal demographics, time of entry into prenatal care, and induction practices. The risk of singleton preterm birth among black women is still almost twice that of white women.

	Incidence of Foodborne Illnesses: Preliminary Data from the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet)--United States, 1998 Preliminary data from FoodNet show a decline in several major foodborne illnesses in 1998.
PRESS CONTACT: Division of Media Relations CDC, Office of Communication (404) 639-3286	FoodNet has been in operation for 3 years and monitors nine foodborne diseases in selected U.S. sites. During 1998, the overall incidence of foodborne illnesses, under surveillance, declined. Notable declines were shown for both Salmonella and Campylobacter, and for the parasitic foodborne disease, Cyclospora. The decline in cases of Cyclospora follows restrictions on the import of raspberries into the United States after a large outbreak of the disease was traced to the fruit. However, cases of E. coli O157:H7 increased during this same period. The reasons for the increase in E. coli infection is unclear. In 1998, the FoodNet catchment area included 20.5 million persons (7.7% of the U.S. population).

FoodNet: 1998 Preliminary Data

March 12, 1999
CDC, Division of Media Relations
(404) 639-3286

The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) is the primary foodborne diseases component of CDC's Emerging Infections Program (EIP). FoodNet is a collaborative project conducted in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration. FoodNet began in 1996.

The 7 EIP sites are located in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon. The total population of these sites is 20.5 million (7.7% U.S. population).
FoodNet conducts active surveillance for infections caused by 7 bacterial and 2 parasitic organisms: (bacterial) Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia; (parasitic) Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora. One of the primary objectives of FoodNet is to determine the frequency and severity of laboratory confirmed foodborne diseases.
Each year, millions of people become sick with foodborne illnesses; however, only a fraction seek medical care and an even smaller number submit laboratory specimens.
From 1996 to 1998, the incidence of Salmonella infections declined 14%. Campylobacter infection rates initially climbed, but then fell by 8% from the 1996 baseline. Rates of E. coli O157 infections declined in 1997, but by the end of 1998 had risen to a level slightly above the 1996 rates.
1998 summary findings from FoodNet for bacterial foodborne illnesses:
- Campylobacter was reported more often than any other pathogen from all sites (19.7/100,000 population) with rates from 10.2/100,000 in Maryland to 37.7/100,000 in California.
- Rates of infection with Salmonella were similar , but rates for specific Salmonella serotypes varied among the sites.
- Shigellosis rates varied from 16.0/100,000 in Georgia to 2.2/100,000 in Connecticut.
- E. coli O157 infection rates ranged from 4.5/100,000 in Minnesota to 1.1/100,000 in Maryland.
- Yersinia infection rates varied from 1.6/100,000 in Georgia and California to 0.4/100,000 in New York.
1998 summary findings from FoodNet for parasitic foodborne illnesses:
- Illness caused by Cryptosporidium dropped 7%.
Some of the changes in rates of foodborne illnesses may reflect changes in meat and poultry processing as mandated by the USDA's "Pathogen Reduction and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Systems" rule. The program was implemented in January 1998 in the largest plants.
The increased rates of Vibrio infections reflect several multistate outbreaks of V. parahaemolyticus infections in 1997 and 1998. However, the reasons for the increase in E. coli O157 infections is unclear.
Additional EIP sites will be added to the program; Tennessee is scheduled to begin collecting data in 1999.

For more information on FoodNet visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/foodnet/foodnet.htm

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