MMWR News Synopsis for August 14, 2014

Health Department Use of Social Media to Identify Foodborne Illness Outbreaks — Chicago, Illinois, 2013–2014

Brian Richardson
Director, Public Affairs
Chicago Department of Public Health
312-747-9805
Brian.richardson@cityofchicago.org

Use of social media platforms such as Twitter allow health departments to partner with the public to improve foodborne illness surveillance and response. The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and its civic partners worked together to develop a new web-based application to identify Twitter postings — tweets — complaining about food poisoning in the Chicago area. In its first 10 months, the application identified tweets describing possible foodborne illness resulting from food in 133 Chicago-area restaurants that were subsequently inspected. Of these, 21 failed inspection, and 33 passed with conditions. Foodborne illness is a serious and underreported public health problem with high health and financial costs. Monitoring of social media has the potential to aid health departments in identifying and taking timely action on foodborne illness.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Among Adults — 18 States, 2012

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Reducing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption as part of a healthy lifestyle can help adults manage their weight and reduce their risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) are major sources of added sugars and significant contributors for calories in U.S. diets, and daily SSB intake has been associated with obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Soda and fruit drinks are the leading sources of SSB calorie intake. In this first state-specific report on daily regular soda and fruit drinks intake, Mississippi and Tennessee had the highest prevalence of intake of regular soda, fruit drinks, or both among the 18 participating states. Daily regular soda and fruit drink intake was most common among 18‒ to 34-year-olds, men, non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanics. People who want to reduce their daily added sugar intake can consider replacing SSBs with healthier drinking options such as plain water.

Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — United States, 2014–15

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Children age 2 through 8 years without medical conditions that increase risk of complications from influenza should receive the live attenuated influenza vaccine if it is immediately available. If it is not immediately available, an appropriate inactivated influenza vaccine should be used. Vaccination should not be delayed in order to procure LAIV. As in previous seasons, children aged 6 months through 8 years who are receiving influenza vaccine for the first time will need two doses this season. Some children who have been vaccinated previously will also need two doses. But because the composition of the vaccine is the same for 2014-15 as it was for 2013-14, only one dose will be needed for children who received at least one dose of 2013-14 vaccine last season. This article summarizes the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice’s (ACIP) recommendations for the use of seasonal influenza vaccines for the 2014-15 U.S. season. Annual influenza vaccination continues to be recommended for all persons aged 6 months and older. The article contains some new information for the upcoming season, including the composition of the influenza vaccine for the 2014-15 season and new recommendations concerning the use of the live attenuated influenza vaccine for young children.

Notes from the Field:

• Malnutrition and Elevated Mortality Among Refugees from South Sudan—Ethiopia, June – July 2014

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES