Scary statistic of the week

The CDC is predicting that, without vaccination, up to 40% of Americans could catch swine flu and hundreds of thousands could die this winter, the Washington Post recently reported. Aah! What are they trying to do? Make us panic?

I don't think the CDC would do that, but then when I read this other article--about the government's plans for the biggest vaccine promotion campaign ever--I started to wonder. "Everything is going to be done to try to encourage people to get it," an official told AFP. Everything...including the distribution of apocalyptic statistics?

Labels: CDC, H1N1, vaccination

More

posted by Stacey Butterfield at 12:41 PM   0 Comments

Alfalfa sprout recall easily digested

Salmonella outbreaks typically make big public health news. Consider the furor surrounding the nationwide peanut butter recall earlier this year or the tainted tomato scare of 2008. But where is the hue and cry over the more recent multiple-state outbreak tied to eating contaminated alfalfa sprouts?

According to the CDC's May 7 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a total of 228 sprout-related salmonella cases have been reported in 13 states since Feb. 1. On April 26, the FDA and the CDC recommended that consumers not eat raw alfalfa sprouts until further notice and on May 1, the FDA notified sprout growers and retailers that the seed company identified as the source of the tainted sprouts was voluntarily withdrawing all affected seed lots from the market.

The FDA recommends thoroughly cooking your sprouts before eating, although that would seem to eliminate them as a crunchy salad topping. I'll opt for croutons over limp sprouts any day. Then again, now that tomatoes and peanut butter are back on shelves, pizza or a PB&J suddenly seem like sensible choices.

Labels: CDC, salmonella

More

posted by Janet Colwell at 12:10 PM   0 Comments

Let them eat drugs: An update

An official tip of the hat today to the CDC.

Back in January, we wrote about how grocery store pharmacies were handing out free generic antibiotics....and how this might not be such a great way to curb the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Today, the New York Times reports that the CDC has sent letters to these places, asking them to dole out their medi-candy carefully. Of particular concern, says the article, is the fact that the stores are linking the drug giveaways to cold and flu season, thus intimating that antibiotics can cure these viral conditions. So the CDC basically said "Hey. Cut it out."

True, the CDC took a couple months to get around to doing this. And cold and flu season is already winding down. But if this had been in the hands of certain other three-lettered government agencies, it might not have happened till next Halloween.

Labels: antibiotics, CDC, FDA

More

posted by Jessica Berthold at 5:14 PM   2 Comments

A little holiday fun from the CDC!

Sometimes it's hard to find the right card for a special occasion. Perhaps you want to congratulate a friend on their compliance with epilepsy therapy or suggest that a loved one get tested for syphillis. The CDC has got just what you need on their new health-e-card web site. Who doesn't want a greeting card that includes the diagnostic criteria for ADHD or steps for preventing traumatic brain injury in the elderly? You can urge your friends and family to share the road, fear climate change, quit smoking or get a colonoscopy (Jimmy Smits may have traded some sex appeal for karma by posing for that card). Not sure about the practical uses of this site--although there is a nice, plain appointment reminder ecard--but it has already provided me and my unsuspecting recipients with hours of email entertainment.

Labels: CDC

More

posted by Stacey Butterfield at 11:26 AM   0 Comments

Congrats, Burlington: America's healthiest city

Congratulations to Burlington, Vt., which a CDC report found to be America's healthiest city because 92% of its residents reported being in good health.

The AP reported Burlington has relatively low poverty, higher average education, a large employer offering generous health benefits and community support for recreational activities and healthy foods.

At the bottom of the list was Huntington, W.Va., which had twice as much poverty and less than half of the number of college-educated people.

Labels: CDC, epidemiology

More

posted by Ryan DuBosar at 9:33 AM   0 Comments

New CDC testing recommendations for Hep B

The CDC just issued new testing recommendations for chronic Hep B virus infection, which affects more than 1 million in the U.S.

In addition to testing all pregnant women, infants born to infected mothers, household contacts and sex partners of infected individuals, and people with HIV, providers should now test:

• People born in Asia, Africa, and other regions with 2% or higher prevalence of chronic HBV infections. (It was formerly 8% prevalence)
• Men who have sex with men and injection drug users.
• People with abnormal liver function tests not explained by other conditions
• People who require immunosuppressive therapy

Labels: CDC, hepatitis B, infectious disease

More

posted by Jessica Berthold at 10:13 AM   0 Comments