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Div. of Media Relations
1600 Clifton Road
MS D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
(404) 639-3286
Fax (404) 639-7394


MMWR
Synopsis for November 30, 2001

The MMWR is NOT embargoed this week.

  1. Update: Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Inhalational Anthrax — Connecticut, 2001
  2. Update: Adverse Events Associated with Anthrax Prophylaxis Among Postal Employees — New Jersey, New York, and the District of Columbia Metropolitan Area, 2001
  3. HIV Testing Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities — United States, 1999
  4. Simultaneous Administration of Varicella Vaccine and Other Recommended Childhood Vaccines — United States, 1995–1999
  5. Weekly Update: West Nile Virus Activity — United States, November 14-20, 2001



Notices to Readers

World AIDS Day — December 1, 2001

"I care, do you?" is the them for this year's World AIDS Day on December 1, 2001. This year's theme highlights the impact of HIV on youth. Additional information about World AIDS DAY is available online at www.cdc.gov/hiv.

Contact: Office of Communications
CDC, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention
(404) 639–8895


Alcohol Involvement in Fatal Motor-Vehicle Crashes — United States, 1999–2000

Drinking and driving is still a serious public health problem. In 2000, 16,653 people died in alcohol-related traffic crashes. A fatal crash is considered alcohol-related by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if either a driver or non-occupant (e.g., pedestrian) had a blood alcohol concentration of >0.01% grams per deciliter in a police-reported traffic crash. The number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities increased by 4.2% from 1999.

Contact: Randy Elder, M.Ed.
CDC, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
 (770) 488–1015




Reports and Recommendations
November 30, 2001/Vol. 50/ No. RR-21

Promoting Oral Health: Interventions for Preventing Dental Caries, Oral and Pharyngeal Cancers, and Sports-Related Craniofacial Injuries; A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services.

The Task Force on Community Preventive Services (the Task Force) has conducted systematic reviews of the evidence of effectiveness of selected population-based interventions to prevent and control dental caries (tooth decay), oral (mouth) and pharyngeal (throat) cancers, and sports-related craniofacial injuries. The Task Force strongly recommends community water fluoridation and school-based or school-linked pit and fissure sealant delivery programs for prevention and control of dental caries.

Contact: William Maas, D.D.S.
CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
(770) 488–6054


Synopsis for November 30, 2001

Update: Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Inhalational Anthrax — Connecticut, 2001

To date, there is no obvious source of exposure to anthrax for the Connecticut woman who died of inhalational anthrax earlier this month.

 

PRESS CONTACT:
Division of Media Relations

CDC, Office of Communication
(404) 639–3286

 

The isolate of Bacillus anthracis from this most recent case is indistinguishable from the strain identified in previous bioterrorism-related cases. However, most cases have been associated with exposures at media companies or postal facilities. The patient in Connecticut was probably exposed in a different setting since she had limited activity outside her home and had not visited a media outlet or implicated postal facility .The investigations — both public health and law enforcement — being conducted to find the source of exposure continues.

 

Update: Adverse Events Associated with Anthrax Prophylaxis Among Postal Employees — New Jersey, New York, and the District of Columbia Metropolitan Area, 2001

For persons exposed to Bacillus anthracis, completion of a full 60-day course of antibiotics is essential to preventing anthrax.

 

PRESS CONTACT:
Division of Media Relations

CDC, Office of Communication
(404) 639–3286
 

A survey was conducted among postal employees in New Jersey, New York, and Washington, DC who are taking antibiotics for exposure to B. anthracis to evaluate adverse events associated with the use of these antibiotics. Of the 3,428 persons on ciprofloxacin, 19 percent reported severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain; 14 percent reported fainting, light-headedness, or dizziness, 7 percent reported heartburn or acid reflux, and 6 percent reported rash, hives, or itchy skins. However, only 2 percent of those persons surveyed, who had a reaction to the antibiotics, sought medical care for their symptoms.

HIV Testing Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities — United States, 1999

Numbers of American being tested for HIV up, but critical group remains untested.

 

PRESS CONTACT:
Office of Communications

CDC, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention
(404) 639–8895
 

The percentage of Americans who report being tested for HIV has increased significantly over the past decade, but a considerable number of at-risk individuals have never been tested. According to results from the most recent National Health Interview Survey, 31 percent of survey respondents reported HIV testing, up from 5 percent in 1987 and 26 percent in 1995. Of the subset of respondents at high risk for HIV infection (nearly 2 percent), over 70 percent reported having been tested. However, there is still a critical need to reach the remaining 25 percent of at-risk individuals who have not been tested. The level of testing and reported motivations for testing varied by race and ethnicity, underscoring the need for carefully targeted strategies to encourage testing. By race and ethnicity, 82.2 percent of at-risk African-Americans had been tested, compared to 73.5 percent of at-risk Latinos, and 72.6 percent of at-risk whites. Increasing the proportion of infected and at-risk individuals who know their HIV status is a primary focus of CDC's national strategy to reduce the number of new HIV infections in half by 2005.


Simultaneous Administration of Varicella Vaccine and Other Recommended Childhood Vaccines — United States, 1995–1999

The effectiveness of varicella vaccine decreases when it is was administered less than 30 days after MMR vaccine.

 

PRESS CONTACT:
Aisha Jumaan, Ph.D.

CDC, National Immunization Program
(404) 639–8754
 

Varicella vaccine is recommended in the United States for children 12-18 months and for susceptible older children, adolescents and adults. The Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) project was used to assess the post-licensure effectiveness of varicella vaccine (chicken pox) when administered simultaneously with, or less than 30 days after, vaccines recommended for routine childhood immunization: MMR, DTP, Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine (Hib), oral polio vaccine, inactivated polio vaccine, and hepatitis B vaccine. The VSD links computerized vaccination records to clinic visit and hospital discharge records of children from several large health maintenance organizations in the United States.

Weekly Update: West Nile Virus Activity — United States, November 14-20, 2001

 

PRESS CONTACT:
Division of Media Relations.

CDC, Office of Communication
(404) 639–3286
 

The report summarizes surveillance data for West Nile Virus (WNV) activities in the United States. The report includes information on human cases and deaths, infected birds and other animals, and WNV-positive mosquito pools.


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