July 2015

Did You Know? is a weekly feature from the Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support to inform your prevention activities. We invite you to read, share, and take action!

View the Current Did You Know?

July 31, 2015

Public health laboratory scientists are critical to identifying, tracking, and limiting [PDF-6.5MB] public health threats: from detecting toxins in water sources to helping stem the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
Public health labs face challenges in maintaining and enhancing the workforce [PDF-2.3MB], as they confront significant staff losses and limited capacity to train workers.
Laboratory scientists, leaders, and trainers can adopt and implement recently published competency guidelines [PDF-1.4MB] to strengthen their workforce.

July 24, 2015

Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating ameba found in warm freshwater, can enter the body through the nose and cause primary amebic meningoencephalitis, leading to brain swelling and death.
An investigational drug available from the CDC Drug Service helped treat the first American since 1978 to survive illness from Naegleria fowleri.
Swimmers can lower their risk of infection by following these tips when swimming in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, and hot springs, where most US infections have occurred.

July 17, 2015

State and local health departments reported 818 foodborne illness outbreaks in 2013 alone; these outbreaks led to 13,360 illnesses, 1,062 hospitalizations, and 16 deaths.
Consumers can help solve foodborne outbreaks; food receipts, labels, and shopper cards give investigators important clues about what made people sick.
Health professionals can use CDC’s step-by-step guide to investigate outbreaks, along with a toolkit and tip sheets for effective interviewing and laboratory practices.

July 10, 2015

Heroin use has increased in the United States, even among groups that had lower use rates in the past, according to this month’s Vital Signs.
People who are addicted to prescription opioid painkillers are 40 times more likely to also be addicted to heroin.
States play a key role in keeping at-risk people from starting heroin, and in expanding treatment and recovery for those already addicted.

July 2, 2015

At least 1,788 people got sick from contaminated pool, hot tub, lake, and ocean water in 90 separate outbreaks across 32 states and Puerto Rico over a two-year period.
Cryptosporidium a diarrhea-causing parasite that is hard to kill with chlorine caused about half of these illnesses.
Health professionals, aquatics staff, and swimmers can take easy and effective steps to help keep germs out of pools and hot tubs.