MMWR News Synopsis

Articles

Tuberculosis – United States, 2020

CDC Media Relations
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New provisional 2020 data on the number of reported cases of tuberculosis (TB) disease in the United States show a dramatic decline among U.S.–born and non-U.S.–born individuals. This decline is likely due to multiple factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic and raises concerns about missed or delayed TB disease diagnoses. Healthcare providers should consider TB testing for patients with signs and symptoms consistent with TB disease (e.g. cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss), and people should be encouraged to seek medical care if needed. The number of TB disease cases in the U.S. has fallen steadily since 1993, due to the ability of TB programs to detect, treat, and prevent TB disease. Provisional data show a 20% reduction in the number of reported cases of TB in the United States in 2020 (7,163 cases) compared with 2019 (8,909 cases). While COVID-19 pandemic mitigation efforts and reduced travel might have contributed to the decline, the size of the decrease across different groups raises concerns about missed or delayed TB disease diagnoses. CDC encourages healthcare providers to consider TB testing when evaluating patients with signs and symptoms consistent with TB disease, especially when SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests are negative. People with signs and symptoms of TB disease (e.g. cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss) should seek medical care.

Declines in Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine-Type Infection Among Females After Introduction of Vaccine — United States, 2003-2018

CDC Media Relations
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Twelve years after introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the United States, there have been significant declines in vaccine-type HPV infections among both vaccinated and unvaccinated adolescent and young adult females. This decline in infections demonstrates the high effectiveness of HPV vaccination and suggests indirect protection of unvaccinated young women as well. Analysis of data from 2015-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed continuing declines in four HPV types targeted by the HPV vaccine among females aged 14–19 years (88% decline) and 20–24 years (81% decline) compared to the pre-vaccine era (2003-2006). Compared with the pre-vaccine era, in 2015-2018, HPV infections decreased among sexually experienced females who were vaccinated (97% among 14–19-year-olds, 86% among 20–24-year-olds) as well as those who were not vaccinated (87% among 14–19-year-olds, 65% among 20–24-year-olds), suggesting indirect protection due to decreased transmission of HPV in the population. These results demonstrate the high population impact of HPV vaccination that will prevent disease caused by HPV, including precancers, cancers, and genital warts.

Rapid Scale-Up of an Antiretroviral Therapy Program Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic — Nine States, Nigeria, March 31, 2019–September 30, 2020

CDC Media Relations
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Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC’s 18-month Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Surge program accelerated progress toward HIV epidemic control in nine Nigerian states. An analysis of data from CDC’s Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Surge program shows that the number of people living with HIV receiving ART increased by 208,202 in nine Nigerian states from April 2019 to September 2020. Through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the ART Surge program resulted in an eight-fold increase in the weekly number of newly identified people with HIV who initiated ART. The ART Surge continued despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The program included weekly collaborative data reviews to create locally adapted interventions and the use of incident command structures for program flexibility and accountability. Engagement and support from civic and local community leaders helped combat HIV stigma and eliminate other barriers to treatment.

Epidemiology of Tuberculosis and Progress Toward Meeting Global Targets — Worldwide, 2019

CDC Media Relations
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Although curable and preventable, in 2019 tuberculosis (TB) remained the number one cause of death globally from a single infectious disease agent and the leading cause of death for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Innovations and adaptations in TB diagnosis, care, and treatment are needed to accelerate global TB progress and overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A joint CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) evaluation of the most recent data on global progress towards achieving the objectives of WHO’s End Tuberculosis (TB) strategy reveals modest decreases in the number of people with TB and the number of TB-related deaths, but likely not enough to achieve global TB targets. In 2019, an estimated 10 million people had new or relapsing cases of TB, and 1.4 million TB-related deaths occurred, representing 2% and 7% declines from 2018, respectively. There was a substantial increase in TB preventive treatment initiation among people living with HIV, with numbers doubling from 2018 to 2019. Strengthened TB services, coupled with innovations in TB diagnosis, treatment, and prevention are needed to reach future United Nations High-Level Meeting and WHO global TB targets and to mitigate the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

County-Level COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage and Social Vulnerability — United States, December 14, 2020–March 1, 2021 (Early Release March 17, 2021)

CDC Media Relations
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COVID-19 in Primary and Secondary School Settings During the First Semester of School Reopening — Florida, August–December 2020 (Early Release March 19, 2021)

CDC Media Relations
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Low SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in Elementary Schools — Salt Lake County, Utah, December 3, 2020–January 31, 2021 (Early Release March 19, 2021)

CDC Media Relations
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Pilot Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 Secondary Transmission in Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools Implementing Mitigation Strategies — St. Louis County and City of Springfield, Missouri, December 2020 (Early Release March 19, 2021)

CDC Media Relations
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• Age-Adjusted Death Rates for Influenza and Pneumonia, by Urbanization Level and Sex — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2019

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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.