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Div. of Media Relations
1600 Clifton Road
MS D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
(404) 639-3286
Fax (404) 639-7394 |
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Synopsis for November 30, 2001
The MMWR is NOT embargoed this week.
- Update: Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Inhalational Anthrax Connecticut, 2001
- Update: Adverse Events Associated with Anthrax Prophylaxis Among Postal Employees New Jersey, New York, and the
District of Columbia Metropolitan Area, 2001
- HIV Testing Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities United States, 1999
- Simultaneous Administration of Varicella Vaccine and Other Recommended Childhood Vaccines United States, 19951999
- Weekly Update: West Nile Virus Activity United States, November 14-20, 2001
Notices to Readers
World AIDS Day December 1, 2001
"I care, do you?" is the them for this year's World AIDS Day on December 1, 2001. This year's theme highlights the impact of HIV on
youth. Additional information about World AIDS DAY is available online at www.cdc.gov/hiv.
Contact: Office of Communications
CDC, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention
(404) 6398895
Alcohol Involvement in Fatal Motor-Vehicle Crashes United States, 19992000
Drinking and driving is still a serious public health problem. In 2000, 16,653 people died in alcohol-related traffic crashes. A fatal crash
is considered alcohol-related by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if either a driver or non-occupant (e.g., pedestrian) had a
blood alcohol concentration of >0.01% grams per deciliter in a police-reported traffic crash. The number of alcohol-related traffic
fatalities increased by 4.2% from 1999.
Contact: Randy Elder, M.Ed.
CDC, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
(770) 4881015
Reports and Recommendations
November 30, 2001/Vol. 50/ No. RR-21
Promoting Oral Health: Interventions for Preventing Dental Caries, Oral and Pharyngeal Cancers, and Sports-Related Craniofacial Injuries;
A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services.
The Task Force on Community Preventive Services (the Task Force) has conducted systematic reviews of the evidence of effectiveness of selected
population-based interventions to prevent and control dental caries (tooth decay), oral (mouth) and pharyngeal (throat) cancers, and
sports-related craniofacial injuries. The Task Force strongly recommends community water fluoridation and school-based or school-linked pit and
fissure sealant delivery programs for prevention and control of dental caries.
Contact: William Maas, D.D.S.
CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
(770) 4886054
Synopsis for November 30, 2001
Update: Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Inhalational Anthrax Connecticut, 2001
To date, there is no obvious source of exposure to anthrax for the Connecticut woman who died of inhalational
anthrax earlier this month.
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PRESS CONTACT:
Division of Media Relations
CDC, Office of Communication
(404) 6393286
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The isolate of Bacillus anthracis from this most recent case is indistinguishable from the strain identified in
previous bioterrorism-related cases. However, most cases have been associated with exposures at media companies or postal facilities. The
patient in Connecticut was probably exposed in a different setting since she had limited activity outside her home and had not visited a media
outlet or implicated postal facility .The investigations both public health and law enforcement being conducted to find the source of
exposure continues.
Update: Adverse Events Associated with Anthrax Prophylaxis Among Postal Employees New Jersey, New York, and the District
of Columbia Metropolitan Area, 2001
For persons exposed to Bacillus anthracis, completion of a full 60-day course of antibiotics is essential to
preventing anthrax.
PRESS CONTACT:
Division of Media Relations
CDC, Office of Communication
(404) 6393286 |
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A survey was conducted among postal employees in New Jersey, New York, and Washington, DC who are taking antibiotics for exposure to B.
anthracis to evaluate adverse events associated with the use of these antibiotics. Of the 3,428 persons on ciprofloxacin, 19 percent reported
severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain; 14 percent reported fainting, light-headedness, or dizziness, 7 percent reported heartburn
or acid reflux, and 6 percent reported rash, hives, or itchy skins. However, only 2 percent of those persons surveyed, who had a reaction to the
antibiotics, sought medical care for their symptoms.
HIV Testing Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities United States, 1999
Numbers of American being tested for HIV up, but critical group remains untested.
PRESS CONTACT:
Office of Communications
CDC, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention
(404) 6398895 |
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The percentage of Americans who report being tested for HIV has increased significantly over the past decade, but a considerable number of
at-risk individuals have never been tested. According to results from the most recent National Health Interview Survey, 31 percent of survey
respondents reported HIV testing, up from 5 percent in 1987 and 26 percent in 1995. Of the subset of respondents at high risk for HIV infection
(nearly 2 percent), over 70 percent reported having been tested. However, there is still a critical need to reach the remaining 25 percent of
at-risk individuals who have not been tested. The level of testing and reported motivations for testing varied by race and ethnicity,
underscoring the need for carefully targeted strategies to encourage testing. By race and ethnicity, 82.2 percent of at-risk African-Americans
had been tested, compared to 73.5 percent of at-risk Latinos, and 72.6 percent of at-risk whites. Increasing the proportion of infected and
at-risk individuals who know their HIV status is a primary focus of CDC's national strategy to reduce the number of new HIV infections in half
by 2005.
Simultaneous Administration of Varicella Vaccine and Other Recommended Childhood Vaccines United States, 19951999
The effectiveness of varicella vaccine decreases when it is was administered less than 30 days after MMR vaccine.
PRESS CONTACT:
Aisha Jumaan, Ph.D.
CDC, National Immunization Program
(404) 6398754 |
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Varicella vaccine is recommended in the United States for children 12-18 months and for susceptible older children, adolescents and adults. The
Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) project was used to assess the post-licensure effectiveness of varicella vaccine (chicken pox) when administered
simultaneously with, or less than 30 days after, vaccines recommended for routine childhood immunization: MMR, DTP, Haemophilus influenzae type
B vaccine (Hib), oral polio vaccine, inactivated polio vaccine, and hepatitis B vaccine. The VSD links computerized vaccination records to
clinic visit and hospital discharge records of children from several large health maintenance organizations in the United States.
Weekly Update: West Nile Virus Activity United States, November 14-20, 2001
PRESS CONTACT:
Division of Media Relations.
CDC, Office of Communication
(404) 6393286 |
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The report summarizes surveillance data for West Nile Virus (WNV) activities in the United States. The report includes information on human
cases and deaths, infected birds and other animals, and WNV-positive mosquito pools.
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