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 […]
Safety measures against listeria
CDC releases safety measures against listeria, a life-threatening infection. As the death toll rises to five, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) release precautions against listeria. Listeriosis is a foodborne illness that causes muscle aches and fevers. It may also cause septicemia and meningitis in older people infected. The current outbreak is traced to a single […]
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, […]
Hepatitis C virus
The threat of HCV to public health has led to increased debate regarding widespread testing. HCV, also known as the Hepatitis C virus, is an infection that causes liver damage and inflammation. However, symptoms are often rare and do not present themselves until decades later under routine medical testing. Studies indicate that nearly 1 […]
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 […]
Bird Flu in China May Fly Overseas
A new outbreak of Bird Flu has overtaken the poultry population in China, according to HealthDay News. This virus mutates to affect human populations, meaning infection and death are immediate concerns. Luckily, genetic sequence technology can lay the groundwork for preventative measures. The recent increase in Avian Flu (also known as Bird Flu or the […]
Is widespread screening for hepatitis C justified?
CDC Hepatitis Updates: Public Health Testing, Guidelines, and Facts The threat of HCV to public health has led to increased debate regarding widespread testing. HCV, also known as the Hepatitis C virus, is an infection that causes liver damage and inflammation. However, symptoms are often rare and do not present themselves until decades later under routine medical […]
Revolutionary new test may help put an end to antibiotic misuse
A large clinical study has been published in Plos One validating the accuracy of the diagnostic blood test ImmunoXpert used to distinguish an infection as either bacterial or viral. This easy blood test can quickly tell a practitioner the cause of an infection, leading to a more informed and immediate course of treatment. Many times, […]