Other Infectious Diseases

• Hepatitis C can cause serious liver damage and even liver cancer, yet up to three in four people who have it don’t know they are infected.
• According to a new CDC report, baby boomers (adults born from 1945 through 1965) account for 67 percent of cases and 72 percent of deaths among people with hepatitis C.
• CDC offers hepatitis C testing guidance for clinicians to help them identify people with the condition and link them to lifesaving medical care; CDC also offers resources for the public.

• Thanks to vaccines, many diseases that once killed thousands of US children have been eliminated or are near extinction—one of the 10 greatest achievements in public health.
• While immunization rates for children remain at or near record highs, recent outbreaks of measles and pertussis show the importance of keeping immunization rates high.
• New public service announcements, animated videos, and print ads are available to download and share during National Infant Immunization Week (April 20–27) and year-round.

• In 2012, more than 9,000 people became sick with tuberculosis (TB) disease in the United States.
• March 24 is World TB Day, raising awareness of this infectious disease and the need to improve testing and treatment among high-risk populations.
• CDC offers free TB educational materials and TB Personal Stories that highlight experiences of people treated for this life-threatening disease.

• Global Disease Detection (GDD) Regional Centers help host countries build on-the-ground capacity to detect deadly outbreaks in accordance with International Health Regulations.
• GDD Regional Centers supported 242 outbreak responses [PDF-5.6MB] across 20 countries in five continents last year, most within a span of 24 hours. 
• CDC’s global health videos highlight our work with partners around the world to control health threats and protect the health of Americans at home and abroad.

• Nearly 1,600 cases and 65 deaths (as of August 29, 2012) from West Nile virus have been reported in the United States this year, the highest year on record since 1999.
• West Nile virus can lead to severe health complications, including meningitis, encephalitis, paralysis, and even death.
• CDC has a number of health education materials public health professionals can use to inform the public about how to protect themselves from West Nile virus.

• Measles is brought into the United States by people who get infected abroad and spread to others; in 2011, there were 222 reported cases of measles and 17 outbreaks in the United States.
• Measles is highly contagious and can cause severe complications, such as pneumonia and encephalitis, and even death.
• Now is the time to promote measles vaccination for travelers to international destinations, including the Summer Olympic Games.

Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week

• 21.6% of Americans don’t know that swimming when they have diarrhea can make other swimmers sick, even in properly-chlorinated pools.
• Swallowing a single mouthful of contaminated pool water can cause diarrhea, viral meningitis, and other illnesses.
• CDC has resources to help you inform your community about healthy swimming and what they can do to keep germs out of the water.

• Half of the world’s population (3.3 billion) live in areas where malaria transmission occurs.
• In 2010, 1,691 cases of malaria were reported in the United States, the highest number of cases in 30 years.
• By sharing CDC’s Malaria 101 continuing education course, you can help clinicians recognize and diagnose malaria.

• Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness and outbreaks in the United States and causes nearly 800 deaths annually.
• More than 20 million people get norovirus illness each year, which causes diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain.
• CDC's new norovirus website and widget highlight the simple steps people can take to stop the spread of norovirus.

• Worldwide polio cases have declined by more than 99% due to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
• Not a single case of polio has been reported in India, a previously endemic country, for more than a year.
• You can be part of the polio success story by promoting vaccination during National Infant Immunization Week and World Immunization Week (April 21–28).

• Today's children should expect to see a world where no one gets sick with tuberculosis (TB).
• TB rates in the United States are declining, yet nearly 9 million people around the world still get sick with TB disease each year.
• Local coalitions in many states are convening activities related to World TB Day; contact your state TB control office to learn more and get involved.

• Babesiosis, a disease caused by a microscopic parasite that infects red blood cells, is most commonly spread through tick bites.
• Blood transfusion-associated cases of babesiosis in the United States have also been documented over the past 3 decades.
• State health departments are encouraged to share information with CDC about cases of babesiosis, a nationally notifiable disease.
   

• Some pets can make people sick with Salmonella; animals can shed bacteria but appear healthy.
• CDC is currently investigating human Salmonella outbreaks linked to animals: amphibians and live poultry.
• Educational resources on reducing the risk of Salmonella infection from animal contact are available to local and state public health officials.

• Salmonella infection causes more hospitalizations and deaths than any other type of germ found in food.

• The United States has seen a nearly 50% reduction in a serious food-borne illness caused by E. coli O157 in the last 15 years, although Salmonella infections remain steady.

• Health departments are the front line in foodborne outbreak investigations, but everyone has a critical role to play—from the farm to the table—to make our food safer to eat.

• More than 9 million people around the world become sick with tuberculosis (TB) disease each year, with almost 2 million deaths worldwide.
• TB rates in the United States are declining, but more needs to be done to prevent and eliminate this disease.
• Together we can reduce the overall burden and eliminate TB in the United States. Contact your State TB Control Office to learn how you can help eliminate TB in your state.