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Div. of Media Relations
1600 Clifton Road
MS D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
(404) 639-3286
Fax (404) 639-7394 |
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Synopsis for July 26, 2002
The MMWR is embargoed until 12 Noon, ET, Thursdays.
- Methemoglobinemia Following Unintentional Ingestion of Sodium Nitrite ― New York, 2002
- Cigarette Smoking Among Adults ― United States, 2000
- Multistate Outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infections Associated with Eating Ground Beef ― United
States, JuneJuly 2002
- Weekly Update: West Nile Virus Activity ― United States, July 1723, 2002
MMWR Reports and Recommendations
Vol. 51(No. RR-9); July 26, 2002
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome United States: Updated Recommendations for Risk Reduction
This report provides updated recommendations for prevention and control of hantavirus infections associated with rodents in the United States.
These recommendations are based on principles of rodent and infection control, and accumulating evidence that most infections result from
exposure, in closed spaces, to active infestations of infected rodents. The recommendations contain updated specific measures and precautions
for limiting household, recreational, and occupational exposure to rodents, eliminating rodent infestations, rodent-proofing human dwellings,
cleaning up rodent-contaminated areas and dead rodents, and working in homes of persons with confirmed hantavirus infection or buildings with
heavy rodent infestations.
Contact: James Mills, PhD
CDC, National Center for Infectious Diseases
(404) 6391396
| Telebriefing, July 25, 2002 |
| WHO: |
Dr. Paul Mead, CDC foodborne diseases expert, and
Dr. Daniel O'Leary, CDC West Nile Virus expert |
| WHAT: |
To discuss the MMWR articles on the E. coli O157:H7 ground meat recall and West Nile Virus cases in the
United States, respectively Brief remarks followed by Q/A. |
| WHEN: |
Thursday, July 25, 2002; NOON ET |
| WHERE: |
At your desk, by toll-free conference line: Dial 866-254-5942
Teleconference name: CDC |
| A full transcript will be available today following the teleconference at http://www.cdc.gov/media/.
This teleconference will also be audio webcast. Listen LIVE online at http://www.cdc.gov/media/.
|
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Synopsis for July 26, 2002
Methemoglobinemia Following Unintentional Ingestion of Sodium Nitrite ― New York, 2002
Persons with methemoglobinemia generally have cyanosis (lips, other mucous membranes appear blue in color); i.e., oxygen deprivation.
PRESS CONTACT:
Mary Landrigan, MPA
Westchester County Department of Health
(914) 8135000 |
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This report outlines the investigation in May 2002 of an incident of methemoglobinemia, a relatively unusual and potentially fatal condition,
involving five individuals in Yonkers, NY. Because of heightened emphasis on public health preparedness for potential terrorist events, this
report also illustrates the importance and efficacy of collaboration by multiple agencies in the timely response to a potential public health
threat. Cooperation in the investigation between the local hospital, public health officials, police department, Federal Bureau of
Investigation, and Food and Drug Administration rapidly established the cause of the patients acute and severe illness as the inadvertent
ingestion of sodium nitrite; mislabeled as table salt.
Cigarette Smoking Among Adults ― United States, 2000
CDC report shows that while most smokers want to quit, success rates vary dramatically.
PRESS CONTACT:
Terry Pechacek, PhD
CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
(770) 4885493 |
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The report reveals that in 2000, 70 percent of adult smokers in the United States wanted to quit, and as many as 41 percent had stopped smoking
for at least one day during the preceding year in an effort to quit. Among those who had ever smoked, the percentage of those who had quit was
low among some populations. For racial and ethnic groups, the percentage of smokers who had quit was highest for whites at 51 percent and lowest
for non-Hispanic blacks at 37.3 percent. Nearly half of the smokers above the poverty line had quit. Barely a third of smokers below the poverty
line had quit. The report cites a lack of access to proven treatments for tobacco use as a possible explanation for the lower quit rates among
underserved populations.
Multistate Outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infections Associated with Eating Ground Beef ― United States,
JuneJuly 2002
Thaw ground beef in the refrigerator and cook ground beef to an internal temperature of greater than 160 degrees F
to help prevent infection with E. coli O157:H7..
PRESS CONTACT:
Division of Media Relations
CDC, Office of Communication
(404) 6393286 |
|
During July 2002, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment identified an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections among
Colorado residents. Additional cases have been identified in several other states. An ongoing epidemiological and laboratory investigation has
linked human illnesses to eating contaminated ground beef products recalled by ConAgra Beef Company on June 30, 2002. State and local health
departments are investigating additional cases to establish epidemiologic and molecular links to the outbreak. This outbreak demonstrates the
continuing importance of routine public health surveillance combined with molecular subtyping in epidemiologic investigations. Additional food
safety and product recall information is available from USDA at www.usda.gov; telephone 866-849-7438.
Weekly Update: West Nile Virus Activity ― United States, July 1723, 2002
This report summarizes West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance data reported to CDC through ArboNET and verified by states and other
jurisdictions as of July 23, 2002.
PRESS CONTACT:
Division of Media Relations
CDC, Office of Communication
(404) 6393286 |
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During the reporting week of July 17-23, nine human cases of WNV were reported from two states (Louisiana and Mississippi). During the same
period, WNV infections were reported in 202 dead crows, 48 other dead birds, 13 horses, and 69 mosquito pools. During 2002, a total of 12 human
cases of WNV encephalitis or meningitis have been reported from Louisiana and Mississippi.
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