Smallpox vaccination at testing sites
Smallpox testing site employees were evaluated by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to determine the need to revaccinate them from the highly contagious disease. In 1980, the World Health Organization declared smallpox was completely eradicated after killing one-third of people infected. However, in 2002 the U.S. government declared smallpox a credible bio threat. The […]
H7N9 detection beyond China
Avian influenza H7N9 has not been found beyond mainland China but that does not mean it is not capable of spreading. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Emerging Infectious Diseases Volume 21, whether or not it represents a lack of spread is unclear. H7N9 is a low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) found mainly […]
Electronic cigarette use triples in teens
Electronic cigarette use triples among middle and high school students according to a press release by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) there is also no decline in overall tobacco use from the publication’s start in 2011. The report is based on the National Youth Tobacco […]
H5 viruses in birds spread rapidly
Avian H5 viruses have spread rapidly globally according to a report by the CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID). The first Eurasian Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N8 was reported in January 2014 in countries such as South Korea, China, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Italy by December. […]
HIV Affects Various Demographics
HIV Affects Various Demographics With nearly 50,000 people becoming infected with HIV / AIDS each year, it is not surprising that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) continues research in order to help promote prevention. The CDC has encountered new numbers regarding HIV Infection and varying deomographics. Some of these facts are listed below: The […]
U.S. helps launch African CDC
The African Centres for Disease Control (African CDC) is set to launch in 2015 according to a press release by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The U.S. and the African Union Commission have joined forces to create the new program. The Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) was signed by U.S. Secretary of State John […]
Long-acting reversible contraception
Few teens use the most effective birth control method, long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). Although teen pregnancy has decreased over the past twenty years, teen birth rates in the United States are higher than many developed countries. LARC is the most effective yet less than 5 percent of teens use them. LARC prevent pregnancy from 3-10 […]
Declining Cases of Ebola
Due to the CDC’s persistent efforts in West Africa, the reported numbers of Ebola outbreaks have steadily decreased. With thousands of CDC deployments per year, the agency has made historic strides in responding to international medical crises and eliminating the spread of Ebola. In countries such as Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and other international partners, […]
Incentives for reporting antimicrobial use and resistance
In the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ proposed Meaningful Use Stage 3 of EHR Incentive Programs, eligible hospitals qualify for incentive payments by electronically reporting antimicrobial use (AU) and antimicrobial resistance (AR) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). By doing so, hospitals and providers avoid downward payment adjustments. Meaningful use of […]
The Ebola virus continues to be a serious issue for healthcare professionals
The Ebola virus continues to be a serious issue healthcare professionals. As discussed in the last blog, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently emphasized the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE). Healthcare workers put themselves at risk in order to treat those infected. However, PPE can keep professionals safe. This is […]
Healthcare Workers: Protect Yourselves!
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk for exposure to serious, and sometimes deadly, diseases. If you work directly with patients or handle material that could spread infection, you should get appropriate vaccines to reduce the chance that you will get or spread vaccine-preventable diseases. Protect yourself, your patients, and your family members. Make sure you […]
How to prevent needlestick and sharps injuries
CDC: “Needlestick and other sharps injuries are a serious hazard in any healthcare setting. Contact with contaminated needles, scalpels, broken glass, and other sharps may expose healthcare workers to blood that contains pathogens which pose a grave, potentially lethal risk. If you experience a needlestick or sharps injury or are exposed to the blood or […]