MMWR News Synopsis

Medical Expenditures Attributed to Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among Workers — United States, 2011–2015

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Early identification and reduction of risk factors, including workplace exposures, and implementation of proven interventions are needed to reduce the adverse health and economic impacts of asthma and COPD among workers.  Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are respiratory conditions associated with a significant economic cost among U.S. adults. During 2011–2015, among the estimated 166 million U.S. workers, 8 million had at least one asthma-related medical event and 7 million had at least one COPD-related medical event. By industry group, the highest annualized per-person expenditures ($1,279 for asthma and $1,819 for COPD) were among workers in public administration.

Salmonellosis Outbreak Detected by Automated Spatiotemporal Analysis — New York City, May–June 2019

NYC Press Office
Office phone: 347-396-4177
pressoffice@health.nyc.gov

In May 2019 the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene quickly detected an outbreak of foodborne illness by using automated spatiotemporal analysis, an innovative method for detecting infectious disease outbreaks. Innovative spatiotemporal cluster detection analyses conducted at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in May 2019 detected a localized outbreak of a foodborne illness caused by Salmonella. The outbreak was detected quickly, 9 days before laboratory subtyping results confirmed that patients had the same type of Salmonella infection. Rapid outbreak detection triggered an investigation that linked the patients to one grocery store, where chicken was identified as the likely source of illness. Early detection primed investigators to look for common exposures and facilitated rapid environmental assessments, leftover food collection, and prioritization of isolates for subtyping.

Use of Molecular Epidemiology to Inform Response to a Hepatitis A Outbreak — Los Angeles County, California, October 2018–April 2019

Prabhu Gounder, MD
Physician Specialist
Office phone: (213) 288-8669
Cell Phone: (310) 266-7131
PGounder@ph.lacounty.gov

Molecular testing can inform hepatitis A outbreak responses and allow for targeted and timely implementation of prevention and control efforts. After a report of a hepatitis A case in a person experiencing homelessness, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health implemented enhanced surveillance procedures and rapid molecular testing. These actions allowed the health department to quickly identify additional cases, respond, and likely prevent a larger outbreak. Hepatitis A molecular testing helped to identify transmission chains early in the outbreak and to interrupt them through public health responses that included targeted vaccination and environmental health outreach. Molecular testing, especially when used early in an outbreak, can be helpful in developing targeted and timely public health interventions to contain an outbreak.

Screening for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Within a Psychiatric Hospital and Considerations for Limiting Transmission Within Residential Psychiatric Facilities — Wyoming, 2020

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

After two patients were transferred from a private psychiatric facility in Wyoming to the state psychiatric hospital and tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, the state facility used a combination of adapted infection prevention and control practices to prevent further spread of within the facility. Psychiatric facilities face unique challenges to preventing and controlling the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 given their communal living quarters, staff that work across multiple wards, and connections with other facilities serving vulnerable populations. It’s important to consider these unique risk factors to prevent and control the spread in these, and other congregate living facilities.

COVID-19 Outbreak Among College Students After a Spring Break Trip to Mexico — Austin, Texas, March 26–April 5, 2020 (Early release June 24, 2020)

Serial Laboratory Testing for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Incarcerated and Detained Persons in a Correctional and Detention Facility — Louisiana, April–May 2020 (Early release June 29, 2020)

Characteristics of Adult Outpatients and Inpatients with COVID-19 — 11 Academic Medical Centers, United States, March–May 2020 (Early release June 30, 2020)

Exposures Before Issuance of Stay-at-Home Orders Among Persons with Laboratory-Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 — Colorado, March 2020 (Early release June 30, 2020)

• Percentage of Families That Often or Sometimes Did Not Have Enough Food To Last 30 Days and Did Not Have Enough Money to Buy More, by Poverty Status — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2018

• Prevention of Hepatitis A Virus Infection in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2020

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) now recommends catch-up vaccination for children and adolescents aged 2–18 years who have not received hepatitis A (HepA) vaccine and for all persons with HIV aged ≥1 year, as well as recommendations for other previously recommended at-risk groups. The newly published ACIP recommendations are the first full update to Hepatitis A (HepA) vaccination recommendations in 14 years

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.