MMWR News Synopsis

Articles

Prevalence of Electronic Cigarette Use Among Adult Workers — United States, 2017-2018

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An estimated 5.3 million U.S. workers currently used e-cigarettes during 2017-2018. Among an estimated 156 million U.S. workers, an estimated 3.4% (5.3 million) were current e-cigarette users in 2017-2018, half of whom also used combustible tobacco products. Prevalence of e-cigarette use was highest among workers in the accommodation and food services industry and food preparation and serving-related occupations. Continued monitoring of e-cigarette use among workers is important to inform the development and implementation of strategies to minimize population risks of use of e-cigarettes while continuing to explore their potential utility for cessation among adult cigarette smokers. To improve the health of workers, employers can integrate comprehensive and effective tobacco cessation programs into health promotion programs in the workplace.

Giardiasis Outbreaks — United States, 2012-2017

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Because Giardiasis — a diarrheal disease caused by a parasite — is easy to get and spread, it is critical to know where people are most likely to get sick and what the most common sources of infection are to help prevent outbreaks before they start. A new report from CDC found that during 2012-2017, outbreaks of giardiasis were most common among people that live together, underscoring the importance of washing hands often, cleaning surfaces at home regularly, and making sure water is safe to drink while hiking, camping, or traveling. Giardiasis is a diarrheal disease caused by the parasite Giardia duodenalis, the most common intestinal parasite infecting people in the United States. This report describes giardiasis outbreaks during 2012 – 2017. Findings show 111 giardiasis outbreaks were reported from 26 states, causing 760 illnesses. Outbreaks were most common among people that lived together and were most often linked to contaminated water or person-to-person spread. Approximately half of all reported outbreaks occurred in private residences. These findings suggest a need to focus prevention messages around household spread. Preventing the spread of Giardia in the home relies on good hand hygiene practices, especially during food preparation, after using the bathroom, or changing diapers, and cleaning surfaces and shared objects at home. To avoid getting sick and bringing Giardia home after visiting places with unknown water quality, treat water to kill germs before drinking it.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection Risk among Active Duty Military Members Deployed to a Field Hospital—New York City, April 2020

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This study of active duty military personnel deployed to care for COVID-19 patients demonstrates that a low rate of COVID-19 among health care personnel in a field hospital is achievable when appropriate resources are coupled with robust infection control measures. In March 2020, the U.S. Army deployed personnel from areas with low rates of COVID–19 to the Javits New York Medical Station (JMS) in New York City (NYC) to provide care to COVID–19 patients. A multidisciplinary team of infection control specialists proactively designed and implemented infection control procedures to protect health care personnel. Army personnel followed these procedures and remained largely isolated from the surrounding community while in NYC. During April 3–25, 1,095 COVID-19 patients were admitted from NYC area hospitals to the JMS ward or intensive care unit. A study of prevalence of infection with SARS–CoV–2, the virus that causes COVID-19, among 336 active duty soldiers identified an infection rate of 1.7% in the entire group and 0.9% in the 223 soldiers who provided direct care to COVID–19 patients. These findings underscore the importance of adequate personal protective equipment and rigorous infection control plans for the protection of health care personnel, especially in a field hospital that lacks the standard physical barriers and infrastructure of a traditional health care setting.

Estimated SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Among Persons Aged <18 Years — Mississippi, May–September 2020

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Findings from this investigation in Mississippi suggested that the number of children who likely had been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 was much larger than the number of reported COVID-19 cases among children in Mississippi. Studies like this one that look for evidence of previous infection in children and adolescents can help estimate the number of young people who have been infected during the pandemic. During July-August of 2020, the state of Mississippi experienced a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) partnered with the University of Mississippi Medical Center to investigate how many children aged younger than 18 years were likely infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 during this period. Study investigators tested residual samples of blood that had previously been collected from children for routine laboratory tests. Researchers tested samples from 1,603 children to estimate how many children in Mississippi had been infected. From this sample, researchers estimated that as many as 1 in 6 children in Mississippi, or 113,000 children, may have been infected by mid-September, more than 10 times higher than the number of reported COVID-19 cases. (The number of COVID-19 cases in children reported in Mississippi through August 31, 2020 was 8,993). Infection rates were 4.3 times higher among Hispanic children and 2.4 times higher among non-Hispanic Black children than among non-Hispanic White children. This study indicates that many more children were infected during this period than previously thought. COVID-19 cases in children may have gone undetected because children might not have been tested or had mild or no symptoms with infection.

Community Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at Three Fitness Facilities — Hawaii, June–July 2020 (Early Release February 24, 2021)

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COVID-19 Outbreak Among Attendees of an Exercise Facility — Chicago, Illinois, August–September 2020 (Early Release February 24, 2021)

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Reduction in COVID-19 Patients Requiring Mechanical Ventilation Following Implementation of a National COVID-19 Vaccination Program — Israel, December 2020–February 2021 (Early Release February 26, 2021)

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The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ Interim Recommendation for Use of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, February 2021 (Early Release March 2, 2021)

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• Surveillance for West Nile Virus Disease—United States, 2009-2018

From 2009 to 2018 there were approximately 20,000 cases of West Nile virus in the United States, with one in four cases of neuroinvasive disease occurring in just six counties (four states). When and where West Nile virus (WNV) will occur can be difficult to predict, due to the many factors that contribute to its spread. Because of WNV’s sporadic nature, it’s extremely important to gather ongoing mosquito and human surveillance to target prevention efforts and help uncover trends in disease activity. By evaluating surveillance data from 2009-2018, CDC researchers were able to uncover several of these trends. The most notable being that approximately one in four of all neuroinvasive cases (those causing severe illness) occurred in just six counties in four states across the United States. These findings suggest that interventions, such as mosquito control or educational campaigns, could be targeted to areas with high numbers of cases to notably decrease the overall number of WNV cases. Continuous monitoring of WNV disease is needed to identify areas most at risk and tailor prevention and control activities. In the absence of a vaccine, personal protective behaviors, like wearing EPA-registered insect repellent, and routine community-level mosquito control are the most effective ways to prevent WNV.

• Percentage of Adults In Fair or Poor Health, by Age Group and Race and Ethnicity — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2019

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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.