Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

Tetanus is an acute neuromuscular disease caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. Bacterial spores found in soil can enter the body through skin disruption, with subsequent onset of clinical illness ranging from 3 to 21 days (usually within 8 days).

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of community- and health care-associated infections, ranging from superficial skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) to invasive infections, sepsis, and death. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has long been recognized as a pathogen associated with health care settings; however, in the 1990s, community-associated MRSA infections, causing mostly SSTI, emerged in the United States.

Staphylococcus aureus is among the most common causes of health care-associated infections and accounts for significant morbidity and mortality. Beginning in 2005, in response to high rates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) piloted an MRSA prevention program in 18 VA medical centers (VAMCs).

In 2015 and 2016, adults with IBD were more likely to have visited an emergency department at least once in the past 12 months than were those without IBD (33.0% versus 18.9%); this pattern was observed for all age groups. Among adults aged 18-34, 35-64, and ≥65 years, those with IBD were more likely to have visited an emergency department at least once in the past 12 months (35.6%, 34.0%, and 28.9%, respectively), compared with adults without IBD (19.6%, 17.2%, and 22.4%, respectively).

In 2015, 7.0% of women with a recent live birth in Oklahoma and Texas reported using electronic vapor products (EVPs) shortly before, during, or after pregnancy, with 1.4% reporting use during pregnancy. Among prenatal EVP users, 38.4% reported using EVPs containing nicotine.

On March 4, 2018, an unvaccinated adolescent boy, aged 15 years, who had recently returned from England and Wales, where measles outbreaks were occurring, was evaluated by a physician for fever, cough, coryza, conjunctivitis, Koplik spots, and rash. Measles virus nucleic acid was detected in an oropharyngeal swab and in urine tested at the Santa Clara County (California) Public Health Department.

In the spring of 2018, the New Mexico Department of Health contacted CDC about an increase in the number and prevalence of invasive group A Streptococcus infections reported through New Mexico's Active Bacterial Core surveillance system.

During 2005-2017, regional hepatitis B vaccine birth dose (HepB-BD) and third dose (HepB3) coverage increased from 63% to 85% and from 76% to 93%, respectively. In 2017, 15 (42%) and 18 (50%) of 36 Western Pacific Region countries/areas achieved ≥95% HepB-BD and HepB3 coverage, respectively. Chronic hepatitis infection in children declined to

Respiratory syncytial virus-positive laboratory detections have been reportable in Arizona since 2004 as part of the state's passive infectious disease surveillance.

A center pivot irrigation system intended to pump livestock wastewater onto adjacent farmland in Nebraska malfunctioned and allowed excessive runoff to collect in a road ditch near two wells that fed a municipal water supply, sickening 39 persons who consumed untreated city water. The use of culture-independent diagnostic tests facilitated case identification, allowing for rapid public health response.

Estimates of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) incidence during 2105 were 3.0 per 1,000 births for Illinois, 7.5 for New Mexico, and 30.8 for Vermont. Of the four diagnosis codes for NAS evaluated, those for infant drug withdrawal had the highest positive predictive values for identifying confirmed NAS cases.

Since August 2017, CDC has confirmed three cases of brucellosis attributed to Brucella abortus cattle vaccine strain RB51. Each case was associated with consumption of domestically acquired unpasteurized (raw) milk products.

On July 2, 2018, the North Carolina Division of Public Health was notified that approximately three dozen members of an ethnic Nepali refugee community had been transported to area hospitals for severe gastrointestinal illness after attending a potluck party on June 30.

In Table 2 of the report "Suicide Rates by Major Occupational Group - 17 States, 2012 and 2015," on page 1255, some percentages were calculated using records with Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes as the denominator rather than all suicide decedents aged 16-64 years.

In 2012, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) became aware of the potential for occupational and take-home exposures to lead and cadmium in the electronics recycling industry and contacted electronics industry stakeholders to discuss these exposures and provide information about NIOSH's ability to investigate workplace hazards.

After an errant ballistic missile alert in Hawaii on January 13, 2018, social media reactions revealed how the public interprets, shares, and responds to an evolving threat. The lack of clear direction after this errant alert highlighted gaps in messaging that resulted in confusion, anxiety, and panic.

During 2015-2017, death rates attributed to excessive cold or hypothermia increased steadily with age among those aged ≥15 years in both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties.

On the basis of data from the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network on 3,254 children and adults with acute respiratory illness during November 23, 2018-February 2, 2019, the overall estimated effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine for preventing medically attended, laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infection was 47%.

The U.S. 2017-18 influenza season was a high-severity season, with the highest number of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness since the 2009-10 pandemic and the highest rate of influenza-associated hospitalizations since the system expanded to include adult hospitalizations during the 2005-06 season.

During 2013-2017, reported methamphetamine, injection drug, and heroin use increased substantially among women and heterosexual men with primary and secondary syphilis.

Most human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) molecular linkages in Wisconsin were among persons within the same racial/ethnic, risk, and age groups. Among named partner linkages where both persons had an HIV virus sequence available, 33.8% also had a molecular linkage and were deemed plausible transmission partners.

For 10 acute pain conditions commonly managed in primary care settings, the probability of obtaining a refill after an initial 7-day opioid analgesic prescription ranged from 11% (headache) to 41% (musculoskeletal injury), with refill probability

All persons aged 1 year and older experiencing homelessness should be routinely immunized against hepatitis A virus infection. Vaccination of homeless persons facilitates integration of hepatitis A vaccine into routine preventive services.

Influenza activity in the United States remained elevated through February 2, 2019, and is expected to continue for several more weeks. Compared with recent influenza seasons, as of February 2, 2019, severity this season has been low, with a lower percentage of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness, lower rates of hospitalization, and fewer deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza.

On the basis of data from the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network on 3,254 children and adults with acute respiratory illness during November 23, 2018-February 2, 2019, the overall estimated effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine for preventing medically attended, laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infection was 47%.

During 2013-2017, reported methamphetamine, injection drug, and heroin use increased substantially among women and heterosexual men with primary and secondary syphilis.

All persons aged 1 year and older experiencing homelessness should be routinely immunized against hepatitis A virus infection. Vaccination of homeless persons facilitates integration of hepatitis A vaccine into routine preventive services.

The U.S. 2017-18 influenza season was a high-severity season, with the highest number of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness since the 2009-10 pandemic and the highest rate of influenza-associated hospitalizations since the system expanded to include adult hospitalizations during the 2005-06 season.

Most human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) molecular linkages in Wisconsin were among persons within the same racial/ethnic, risk, and age groups. Among named partner linkages where both persons had an HIV virus sequence available, 33.8% also had a molecular linkage and were deemed plausible transmission partners.

For 10 acute pain conditions commonly managed in primary care settings, the probability of obtaining a refill after an initial 7-day opioid analgesic prescription ranged from 11% (headache) to 41% (musculoskeletal injury), with refill probability

In 2018, 4.04 million high school students and 840,000 middle school students currently used any tobacco product; e-cigarettes were the most commonly used product. Driven by an increase in e-cigarette use, during 2017-2018, current tobacco product use significantly increased among high school and middle school students, erasing the decline in tobacco product use among youths that occurred in previous years.

February is American Heart Month, an ideal time to remind all adults to focus on their hearts and encourage them, their families, friends, and communities to learn the important signs and symptoms of heart attack and how to respond.

During 2015-2017, 2.8% of persons of all ages had a medically attended injury in the past 3 months, and this varied by age.

Analysis of National Health Interview Survey data for 2008, 2014, and 2017 found that knowledge of the five common symptoms of a heart attack and the appropriate emergency response increased significantly (from 40% to 50% and from 92% to 95%, respectively); however, sociodemographic disparities in knowledge persist.

At the October 2018 meeting, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend approval of the Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents Aged 18 Years or Younger in the United States for 2019.

On June 22, 2018, the Papua New Guinea National Department of Health confirmed an outbreak of poliomyelitis caused by circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 following isolation of genetically linked virus from a patient with paralysis and nonhousehold community contacts.

Critical congenital heart disease occurs in two of every 1,000 births and might be undetected at birth. Affected infants are at risk for substantial morbidity and death early in life. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary endorsed the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children's recommendation to add critical congenital heart disease to the recommended universal newborn screening panel.

In October 2018, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend approval of the Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule for Adults Aged 19 years or Older, United States, 2019.

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is observed each year on February 7 to highlight the continuing disproportionate impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) on the U.S. black/African American population.

In 2016, 78% of black index patients were interviewed for partner services. However, among black partners, fewer than half were tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, 17% received a new diagnosis of HIV infection, and 9% were previously infected.

Early recombinant zoster vaccine safety monitoring findings are consistent with prelicensure clinical trial data. Serious adverse events were rare, and no unexpected patterns were detected.

In 2017, 57.9% of adults aged 18-64 years and 86.1% of adults aged ≥65 years were prescribed medication in the past 12 months. Overall and for both men and women separately, receipt of a prescription increased with age.

On August 6, 2017, the Kosrae Department of Health Services in the Federated States of Micronesia reported a confirmed case of mumps in a resident aged 18 years.

In a survey of toothbrushing practices, 14.5% of children aged 3-15 years began toothbrushing at age ≥3 years, approximately one third brushed once daily, and nearly 40% of children aged 3-6 years used too much toothpaste.

Population-based survey data from 10 state and nine urban school districts found that an average of 1.8% of high school students identify as transgender.

The number and proportion of increased risk donors have increased since 2010, likely because of the epidemic of opioid overdose deaths. Compared with standard risk donors, increased risk donors were significantly more likely to have hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection.

An outbreak of scurvy caused by vitamin C deficiency occurred among South Sudanese adolescent and young adult males living in a refugee camp who were receiving food rations and electronic cash to purchase food and add diversity and choice in their diets.

Single-victim homicide rates did not significantly change over the study period from 1994 to 2016. School-associated single-victim homicides share characteristics with youth homicides in the community, often involving racial/ethnic minorities and males aged 15-18 years, and occurring in urban areas.

On December 1, 2017, PulseNet, CDC's molecular subtyping network for foodborne disease surveillance, identified a cluster of three Listeria monocytogenes clinical isolates.

During 2015-2017, 5.3% of U.S. women aged 50-74 years had ever been told they had breast cancer. Non-Hispanic white women were more likely to have ever been told they had breast cancer (6.1%) compared with Hispanic women (3.2%) and non-Hispanic black women (3.6%).