Past Updates from the Clinician Registry Listserv
Update Sent April 14, 2008
NOTE: This document is provided for historical purposes only and may not provide our most accurate and up-to-date information. The most current Clinician's information can be found on the Clinician Home Page.
Today's topics Include:
- Salmonella
- National Healthcare Decisions Day
- Temporary FEMA Housing
- Adverse Event Reports and Heparin
- Seasonal Influenza
- Avian Influenza
- Travelers' Health
Salmonella
Salmonella-tainted water in Alamosa, CO also had parasites - CIDRAP - April 11
Samples taken from the Alamosa, Colo., water system before it was treated for Salmonella contamination also showed that the water was tainted with two parasites, Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that is resistant to disinfectants like chlorine and has been linked with waterborne disease outbreaks, the agency said. The infection can be severe in children, the elderly, and immunocompromised people, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Giardia, one of the most common causes of waterborne illnesses, produces gastrointestinal symptoms that can lead to weight loss and dehydration, according to the CDC.
CIDRAP News Story:
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/apr1108water.html
City of Alamosa Press Release (pdf)
Salmonella Illnesses in Multiple States may be Linked to Recently Recalled Cereal - FDA - April 12
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that at least 23 people in 14 states have been diagnosed with salmonellosis that was caused by the same strain of Salmonella that was found in the recently recalled unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat Cereals produced by Malt-O-Meal. The recalled products were distributed nationally under the Malt-O-Meal brand name as well as under private label brands including Acme, America's Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw's, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality. The cereals have "Best If Used By" dates from April 8, 2008 (coded as "APR0808") through March 18, 2009 (coded as "MAR1809"). Consumers should throw out any product in their homes from these recalled lots. Grocery stores and other retailers should promptly remove the cereals from their shelves.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01819.html
A full list of recalled products can be found at www.malt-o-meal.com/recallinfo
National Healthcare Decisions Day
April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a day to encourage adults to develop advance directives. National Healthcare Decisions Day is an initiative to encourage patients to express their wishes regarding healthcare and for providers and facilities to respect those wishes, whatever they may be. http://www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org/
Temporary FEMA Housing
New FEMA Procurement Specifications Require Significantly Reduced Formaldehyde Levels In Mobile Homes And Park Models - FEMA - April 11
All future temporary housing units purchased by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must meet strict new procurement specifications for indoor air quality, including a requirement that formaldehyde emission levels must be significantly reduced inside the units. Each unit must test below .016 parts per million (ppm). This requirement means that the units will be comparable to conventional U.S. homes, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say indoor air concentrations of formaldehyde typically range from .010 to .030 ppm. The new procurement specifications will be part of a request for proposals that FEMA will post on the FedBizOpps.gov Web site for the design and production of an initial 500 manufactured homes and 100 park models. The contract will be in place for three years and allow FEMA to purchase up to 1,400 manufactured homes and 1,900 regular park models for use in future disasters.
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema
Adverse Event Reports and Heparin
Information on Adverse Event Reports and Heparin - FDA - April 9
The information below details the number of deaths reported after heparin administration that occurred and were submitted to FDA over the last fifteen months (i.e., from January 1, 2007 through March 31, 2008). These are the events that prompted a series of heparin recalls. There have been 103 reports of death since January 1, 2007; 91 were reported to FDA on or after January 1, 2008. Of the 62 reports of death that included one or more allergic symptom(s) or symptoms of hypotension, 56 were reported to FDA on or after January 1, 2008. For more information please follow this link:
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/heparin/adverse_events.htm
Seasonal Influenza
Weekly Report: Influenza Summary Update - April 11
During week 14 (March 30 – April 5, 2008), influenza activity continued to decrease in the United States. Three hundred seventy-six (13.2%) specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization (WHO) and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) collaborating laboratories were positive for influenza. The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza has been above the epidemic threshold for 13 consecutive weeks. The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) and the proportion of outpatient visits for acute respiratory illness (ARI) were below national baseline levels. ILI decreased in all nine regions compared to week 13, but remained above the region-specific baselines in the East North Central and West North Central regions. The proportion of outpatient visits reported for ARI was below all region and age-specific baselines. Six states reported widespread influenza activity; 11 states reported regional influenza activity; 23 states reported local influenza activity; and 10 states and the District of Columbia reported sporadic influenza activity.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
Weekly US Map - April 11
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm
Avian Influenza
Update on the Situation in Egypt - WHO - April 8
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has announced a new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection. The case is a 19-year-old male from Kafr El-Dawar District, Behera governorate. He developed symptoms on 30 March was hospitalized on 31 March and died on 4 April. The case was confirmed as being infected with A(H5N1) by the Central Public Health Laboratories and by Cairo-based US Naval Medical Research Unit 3 (NAMRU-3) . Investigations into the source of his infection indicate a history of contact with sick and dead poultry. Of the 48 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 21 have been fatal.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2008_04_08/en/index.html
Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/H5N1- WHO - April 8
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/cases_table_2008_04_08/en/index.html
H5N1 avian influenza: timeline of major events - WHO - April 11
PDF Document
Travelers' Health
Recommendations for Travelers to Israel during Passover - CDC - April 11
Before traveling to Israel, be sure that you are up-to-date with your routine vaccinations. Although vaccine-preventable childhood diseases, such as measles, do not regularly occur in the United States, anyone who is not vaccinated is at risk for infection when traveling to areas where these diseases are still common. Currently, a measles outbreak is ongoing in Israel, so making sure you are immune to measles is especially important; persons 12 months of age and older need two doses of measles or MMR vaccine unless they have other evidence of immunity (physician diagnosis of measles in the past, born before 1957, or a blood test that indicates immunity).
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentIsraelPassover.aspx
2008 Measles Update - CDC - April 11
Measles remains a common disease in many parts of the world. For many U.S. travelers, the risk for exposure to measles can be high, but the illness can be prevented by the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine. Worldwide, more than 20 million people are affected by measles each year;i of these cases, 242,000 result in death.ii Currently, numerous measles outbreaks are ongoing worldwide, including outbreaks in Switzerland and Israel, which have resulted in cases imported into the U.S. However, in 2007, the majority of imported cases in the United States were linked to India and Japan. For more information on specific immunization recommendations for travelers please follow this link:
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentMeasles.aspx?s_cid=ccu041408_Measles_e
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Page last modified April 14, 2008
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