MMWR

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

Illness Associated with a Red Tide – Nassau County, Florida, 2007

PRESS CONTACT: Rebecca Lazensky, MPH
Nassau County Health Department
(904) 548-1800, Extension 5209

When investigating a cluster of illness of unknown origin it is important to consider both biological causes and environmental conditions. Rapid response to illness complaints may help identify on-going environmental exposures in the community. Reports of illnesses of unknown origin or clusters of illness should be reported to the local County Health Department to assist in linking multiple health complaints to a single source. Historically, both environmental and public health officials have relied on routine monitoring of coastal waters for the detection and identification of the toxic marine dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, associated with Florida Red Tides. This harmful algal bloom organism is known to produce neurotoxins called brevetoxins, which are responsible for neurotoxic shellfish poisonings and respiratory illness. This article reports on the novel detection of a K. brevis bloom through epidemiology surveillance by a local county health department in Florida based on citizen complaints of illness. The capability for a county to lead an investigation of an environmentally associated illness is one of the most important attributes of local capacity for initiating quick response and limiting human exposures. 

West Nile Virus Activity – United States, 2007

PRESS CONTACT: CDC
Division of Media Relations
(404) 639-3286

The relative stability in the number of reported WNV neuroinvasive disease (WNND) cases during the past four years likely represents an endemic level of West Nile Virus transmission in the continental United States and will continue for the foreseeable future.  This report summarizes national WNV surveillance data for 2007. A total of 3,630 cases of WNV disease in humans were reported in the United States in 2007, including 1,227 (34 percent) cases of WNND. Overall, the incidence of WNND in the United States was 0.4 per 100,000 population.  This incidence is similar to that reported from 2004 to 2006, but substantially lower than the reported incidence in 2002 and 2003. The highest incidence of WNND occurred primarily in the west-central United States. These findings highlight the need for ongoing surveillance, mosquito control, promotion of personal protection from mosquito bites, and research into additional prevention strategies, including a WNV vaccine.