MMWR News Synopsis

Articles

Surveillance Summaries: Surveillance for Coccidioidomycosis, Histoplasmosis, and Blastomycosis — United States, 2019

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Underdiagnosed fungal infections sickened more than 21,000 people in the United States in 2019 and were more likely to affect men and people in some racial or ethnic groups. Coccidioidomycosis (also known as Valley fever), histoplasmosis, and blastomycosis can cause severe illness. These diseases are caused by inhalation of fungal spores that have distinct geographic niches in the environment. In 2019, in states where Valley fever, histoplasmosis, and blastomycosis are reportable, more than 21,000 cases of these diseases occurred. Cases were associated with a substantial number of hospitalizations (with more than half of blastomycosis and histoplasmosis patients hospitalized), and deaths (9% for blastomycosis and 5% for histoplasmosis cases). Valley fever and blastomycosis disproportionately affected people who were American Indian and Alaska Native; Asian and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; and Hispanic or Latino compared to people who were White. Cases occurred more commonly in men, who may be more at risk due to biological differences or occupational exposure. Climate change may be worsening in areas where these fungal diseases are found across the United States. Clinicians should consider fungal diseases in people who live in or have traveled to certain areas and have community-acquired pneumonia, particularly if the illness doesn’t respond to initial treatment with antibiotics.

Donor Human Milk Use in Advanced Neonatal Care Units — United States, 2020

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Pasteurized donor human milk can help protect the health of infants with very low birth weight when a mother’s own milk is unavailable or insufficient. A new CDC study finds that in 2020, donor milk was not available for infants with very low birth weight at 13% of U.S. hospitals with advanced neonatal intensive care units. Human milk is the recommended nutrition source for infants with very low birth weight, but when a mother’s own milk is not sufficient or available, pasteurized donor human milk can be given to protect against numerous long- and short-term health problems. Data from CDC’s 2020 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care survey found that donor milk was not available for infants with very low birth weight at 13% of US hospitals with neonatal intensive care units (level III or IV). When a mother’s own milk is unavailable or insufficient, pasteurized donor human milk plus a multi-nutrient fortifier is the first recommended alternative for infants with very low birth weight.

Progress Toward Measles Elimination — South-East Asia Region, 2003–2020

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In the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region, increasing vaccination coverage for the first and second doses of measles-containing vaccine (MCV) contributed to a 92% decrease in measles cases and prevented over 9 million deaths from 2003–2020, but progress has slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic and must be recovered. During 2003 to 2020, countries in the South-East Asia Region made substantial progress toward eliminating measles. Increasing coverage for the first and second doses of MCV to 88% and 80% in 2020, respectively, contributed to a 92% decrease in measles cases and prevented over 9 million deaths in the region. By 2020, 938 million individuals were vaccinated through supplemental immunization activities and five countries eliminated endemic measles transmission. Despite reaching the highest regional MCV coverage in 2019, progress slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent measles deaths and advance progress toward regional measles elimination by 2023, urgent work is needed to recover from setbacks to the delivery of measles vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic and implement mass campaigns to close immunity gaps.

Safety Monitoring of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses Among Children Aged 5–11 Years — United States, May 17, 2022–July 31, 2022

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A new CDC study found that COVID-19 vaccine boosters are safe for children ages 5 years and older. Among children aged 5–11 years who received a third dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, reports of serious adverse events were rare. Most reported adverse events were considered mild, such as pain where the shot was given and headache. On May 17, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to authorize a homologous (matching) third dose for children ages 5–11 years more than 5 months after getting the second primary series dose (dose 2). CDC reviewed adverse events and health impact assessments following receipt of a Pfizer-BioNTech third dose reported to v-safe, a voluntary, smartphone-based safety surveillance system for adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination, and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a vaccine safety surveillance system managed by CDC and FDA. During May 17–July 31, 2022, approximately 650,000 U.S. children aged 5–11 years received a third dose (either a third primary series dose given to children with weakened immune systems or a booster dose given to children with healthy immune systems). Mild-to-moderate reactions, such as pain where the shot was given and headache, following a third dose of an mRNA vaccine were similar in frequency to those reported during a primary series vaccination (doses 1 and 2). Reports of serious adverse events were rare, and there were no reports of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) or death after getting a third dose. CDC will continue to monitor vaccine safety and provide updates as needed to guide COVID-19 vaccination recommendations.

COVID-19 Outbreaks and Mortality Among Public Transportation Workers — California, January 2020–May 2022

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A new study finds that California public transportation workers were at higher risk for COVID-19 workplace outbreaks and deaths than the general worker population. Bus and urban transit workplaces had the largest number of outbreaks, while the largest number of outbreak-associated cases occurred in the air transportation industry, and the largest number of deaths occurred among workers in transportation support industries. This study reinforces the importance of implementing COVID-19 prevention and control strategies with people at increased risk for workplace exposures, such as public transportation workers. Investigators analyzed data on COVID-19 outbreaks that began between January 1, 2020-May 26, 2022 and were reported to the California Department of Public Health. COVID-19 outbreaks were defined as the occurrence of three or more probable or confirmed COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period in persons who were linked in the setting, were from different households, and were not identified as close contacts of one another in any other case investigation. Investigators also assessed case registry data on laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 deaths. Registry data were matched to death certificate information, which included industry and occupation information. The study found that the incidence of workplace outbreaks was 5 times as high in the bus and urban transit industry, and nearly 4 times as high in the air transportation industry, compared with all industries statewide. The peak number of COVID-19 outbreaks in the public transportation industry occurred in December 2021 during the Omicron variant surge. The overall death rate was 174 per 100,000 public transportation workers. That rate is 1.5 times as high as all industries combined.

Previously Released: Summary of Guidance for Minimizing the Impact of COVID-19 on Individual Persons, Communities, and Health Care Systems — United States, August 2022

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Previously Released: Public Health Response to a Case of Paralytic Poliomyelitis in an Unvaccinated Person and Detection of Poliovirus in Wastewater — New York, June–August 2022

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• Percentage of Adults Aged ≥65 Years Who Drank Four or More Alcoholic Drinks Per Week, by Sex and Age — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2020

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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.