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  Press Summaries

MMWR
July 23, 1999

MMWR articles are embargoed until 4 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday.


MMWR Synopsis
  1. Pedestrian Fatalities — Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett Counties, Georgia, 1994-1998
  2. Deaths Among Children Aged < 5 Years from Farm Machinery Runovers — Iowa, Kentucky, and Wisconsin, 1995-1998, and United States, 1990-1995
  3. Ascertainment of Secondary Cases of Hepatitis A — Kansas, 1996-1997

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MMWR

Synopsis July 23, 1999

Pedestrian Fatalities — Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett Counties, Georgia, 1994-1998
Pedestrian deaths from motor-vehicles are preventable.

PRESS CONTACT:
Keoki Williams, M.D.
CDC, Epidemiology Program Office
(404) 657-2616
(Alternate: Kyran Quinlan, M.D., M.P.H., National Center for Injury Prevention & Control, 770-488-4652)
In 1997, a total of 5307 pedestrians were killed by motor-vehicles. The Atlanta metropolitan area is the third most dangerous large-city area for walking (behind Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, Florida). Between 1994 and 1998, 309 pedestrians died after being struck by a motor vehicle in the metropolitan Atlanta counties of Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett. At least since 1994, the annual pedestrian fatality rate for the four central metropolitan counties combined has been consistently higher than the national rate. Half of the pedestrian deaths occurred on state or county roads where the general speed limit posted is 30-40 miles per hour. However, these roads typically do not have sidewalks to provide physical separation between pedestrians and traffic.

  Deaths Among Children Aged < 5 Years from Farm Machinery Runovers — Iowa, Kentucky, and Wisconsin, 1995-1998, and United States, 1990-1995
Young children on farms are at high risk for fatal runovers by farm machinery.
PRESS CONTACT:
Doloris Higgins
CDC, National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health
(304) 285-6276
(Alternate: Kitty Hendricks, M.A., NIOSH, 304-285-6252)
Case reports of 4 deaths on farms between 1995-1998 and analysis of death certificate data from 1990-1995 show that children remain at risk for runover by agricultural machines. In order to minimize the risk of runovers to children farm families should not allow "extra riders" on agricultural machinery; keep children out of areas where agricultural machinery is being used or stored; design a safe, fenced play area for children away from work activities; clarify who is responsible for child supervision after work interruptions and confirm location of children before work is resumed; and restrict operation of machinery to older teens and adults who possess the knowledge, skills, and physical capacity necessary for safe operation of these machines.

  Ascertainment of Secondary Cases of Hepatitis A — Kansas, 1996-1997
An evaluation of specific characteristics of exposure is needed to determine the risk of transmission of hepatitis A.
PRESS CONTACT:
Dalya Guris, M.D., M.P.H.
CDC, National Immunization Program
(404) 639-8252
Hepatitis A is most commonly spread by close personal contact between an infected person and a susceptible person. For transmission to occur, this contact must occur during a specified time period. Many of these cases, termed secondary, can be prevented by promptly identifying persons who report close personal contact with a person who has hepatitis A, and by giving persons who have had close contact immune globulin. CDC conducted an investigation to determine why a much larger proportion of persons with hepatitis A in Kansas were reported to be secondary cases compared with overall U.S. cases. The study found that 43% of these persons were incorrectly classified as secondary cases, mostly because the time period between the supposed source and secondary cases was not considered. For more information on Hepatitis A visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/a/fact.htm

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