MMWR News Synopsis

Articles

Preventive Dental Care and Oral Health of Children and Adolescents With and Without Heart Conditions — United States, 2016–2019

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Parents reported that 1 in 10 children with a heart condition, such as a congenital heart defect, had teeth in fair/poor condition, and about 1 in 6 had at least one indicator of poor oral health such as toothaches, bleeding gums, or cavities in the past year. Children living with heart defects are more likely to develop a heart infection caused by bacteria in the mouth. Among children with a heart condition, oral health was worse for those with intellectual/developmental disabilities, those living in poverty, and those without health insurance. Pediatricians, dentists, and pediatric heart doctors can coordinate care to improve oral health among children with heart conditions, especially those with fewer resources and intellectual/developmental disabilities. Parents and caregivers can help their children maintain good oral health to improve overall wellness.

Progress Toward Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Control and Elimination — Worldwide, 2012–2020

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During 2012–2020, every region in the world made progress toward more equitable protection against rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), the leading cause of vaccine-preventable birth defects. However, 30% of the world’s infants haven’t yet been reached with a rubella-containing vaccine (RCV). Most countries (89%) have introduced rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) into national immunization programs, and nearly half (48%) of all countries have eliminated rubella transmission. This demonstrates significant progress globally toward more equitable protection against rubella and CRS, the leading causes of vaccine-preventable birth defects. The number of countries that have introduced RCV into their national immunization programs has improved globally, from just 4% in 2012 to 48% in 2020 in lower-income countries, and from 43% to 93% in lower-middle income countries; yet 30% of the world’s infants remain at risk. To protect all babies from the devastating consequences of CRS, it is important that the remaining countries introduce rubella vaccine and that all countries enhance vaccination coverage and surveillance to achieve and maintain rubella elimination.

Identifying Higher-Volume Antibiotic Outpatient Prescribers Using Publicly Available Medicare Part D Data — United States, 2019

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A small percentage of health care providers prescribe a large percentage of antibiotics. Higher-volume prescribers can be prioritized for antibiotic stewardship interventions to improve prescribing practices and patient safety. Antibiotic prescribing can result in side effects and contribute to antibiotic resistance, an urgent public health threat. In 2019, 41% of all Medicare Part D antibiotic prescriptions were prescribed by 10% of prescribers, indicating that a small percentage of health care providers were responsible for prescribing a large number of antibiotic prescriptions. Offering health care providers an opportunity to receive their antibiotic prescribing data as compared with other providers is an effective way to improve antibiotic prescribing behaviors. Prioritizing higher-volume prescribers for outreach and interventions could result in larger improvements in antibiotic prescribing. Public health and health care organizations can use publicly available prescription data to optimize antibiotic prescribing, limit the development of antibiotic resistance, and improve patient outcomes.

Genomic Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 Variants: Predominance of the Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variants — United States, June 2021–January 2022

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CDC scientists found that the Delta variant rose from 1% of COVID-19 cases in the United States to greater than 50% over an 8-week period, whereas the Omicron variant became the most common variant within only 2 weeks. It’s important to identify and track variants of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) to promptly inform public health planning and practice. In the spring of 2021, the Alpha variant co-circulated nationally with other SARS-CoV-2 variants (e.g., Gamma, Delta). Delta became the predominant variant nationally in late June and remained so until early December. By late December, the Omicron variant proportion rapidly outnumbered Delta proportions. Omicron led to a rapid increase in cases into January 2022 and remains the most common circulating variant at >99%. The changing distribution of variants illustrates how the virus has continued to evolve, with different variants defining different phases of the global COVID-19 pandemic. This further underscores the importance of a robust genomic surveillance program (identifying and tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants) to inform public health planning and practice.

Previously Released: Effectiveness of Face Mask or Respirator Use in Indoor Public Settings for Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 Infection — California, February–December 2021

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Previously Released: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes Among Adults Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Periods of B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Predominance — One Hospital, California, July 15–September 23, 2021, and December 21, 2021–January 27, 2022

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• Percentage of Children and Adolescents Aged 5–17 Years Who Reported Being Tired Most Days or Every Day, by Age Group and Hours of Screen Time — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2020

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