MMWR – Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

1. Nonfatal Bathroom Injuries Among Persons Aged ≥15 Years — United States, 2008

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
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People of all ages are at risk of being injured in the bathroom. In one year, an estimated 234,000 people ages 15 and older were treated in U.S. emergency departments for bathroom-related injuries—an average of about 640 people each day. More than 80 percent of injuries were caused by falls. A new study, using 2008 data, is the first to describe nonfatal bathroom injuries among adolescents and adults in the United States. It found that the most common bathroom injuries were cuts, scrapes, and bruises (29 percent). Rates of fractures and hospitalizations were highest among adults ages 65 and older. Simple environmental changes, such as installing grab bars, could benefit all household members by making the bathroom safer.

2. Ocular Toxocariais — United States, 2009–2010

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
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This first national level survey of ophthalmologists shows that ocular toxocariasis, a preventable parasitic disease, affects mainly children and can cause permanent vision loss. People can become infected with Toxocara by unintentionally swallowing dirt that has been contaminated with microscopic Toxocara eggs, which come from the feces of an infected dog or cat. Children are at high risk for infection due to their play habits and hygiene practices. To prevent toxocariasis, people should use good hygiene practices, dispose of pet waste, restrict animal access to play areas, and have dogs and cats dewormed.

3. Interim Results: State-Specific Influenza Vaccination Coverage — United States, August 2010–February 2011

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
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The CDC estimates that 2010-11 seasonal influenza (flu) vaccination coverage among persons 6 months and older in 43 states and the District of Columbia was nearly 43 percent by the end of February 2011. This preliminary finding suggests that the record high national seasonal vaccination coverage seen in 2009-10 was sustained during this non-pandemic season. This season, national influenza vaccination coverage increased among children (49 percent vs. 42.3 percent during 2009-10), and improved coverage among non-Hispanic black and Hispanic children eliminated racial/ethnic disparities in child vaccination coverage. There was wide variation in influenza vaccination coverage between states, particularly among children, and several states had overall coverage levels for children that were above 60 percent. Coverage in adults was similar to levels reported in the 2009-10 season, and racial/ethnic disparities persisted among adults. The 2010-11 season marked the first post-pandemic vaccination season and the first full season since the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' (ACIP) universal influenza vaccination recommendation went into effect. Getting a flu vaccination remains the first and most important step to prevent influenza and its complications.

4. Renewed Transmission of Dracunculiasis — Chad, 2010

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
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Transmission of dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease), a waterborne, parasitic disease targeted for eradication, was thought to have been interrupted in Chad since 2000; however, in 2010, 10 new cases were confirmed. The dracunculiasis outbreak in Chad is a public health emergency of international concern. In February 2011, Chad's Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organization, and CDC surveyed 210 villages and 15 nomadic communities to gather information to guide prevention and response activities. Villages most at-risk for dracunculiasis were identified and targeted for response. Sensitive ongoing surveillance, prompt investigation, case containment, and efficient communication are essential for disease eradication. The global community must rally to support the four remaining countries where dracunculiasis is endemic and countries where the disease was formerly endemic (including Chad) to ensure adequate resources are available to achieve eradication. The recrudescence of dracunculiasis in Chad illustrates a critical lesson for other global disease elimination programs regarding the importance of post-intervention surveillance to assure that disease transmission does not resume after programs have stopped.

 

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES