Synopsis for April 29, 2005

The MMWR is embargoed until Thursday, 12 PM EDT.

1. Silicosis Mortality, Prevention, and Control ― United States, 1968-2002
2. Update: Hydrogen Cyanamide-Related Illnesses ― Italy, 2002-2004
3. Progress Toward Interruption of Wild Poliovirus Transmission ― Worldwide, January 2004-March 2005

Silicosis Mortality, Prevention, and Control ― United States, 1968-2002

Because no effective treatment for silicosis is available, effective control of exposure to crystalline silica in the workplace is crucial.

Silicosis is a preventable occupational lung disease caused by inhaling dust containing crystalline silica; no effective treatment is available. To describe patterns of silicosis deaths in the United States, CDC analyzed data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health National Occupational Respiratory Mortality System (NORMS) for 1968–2002. The results of that analysis indicate a decline in silicosis deaths during 1968–2002 and suggest that considerable progress has been made toward the elimination of silicosis. However, silicosis deaths and new cases still occur, even in young workers in the United States. Because no effective treatment for silicosis is available, effective control of exposure to crystalline silica in the workplace is crucial.

Update: Hydrogen Cyanamide-Related Illnesses ―
Italy, 2002-2004

Vigorous efforts are needed in Italy, including steps to promote the use of engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and employee training, to protect pesticide applicators and others from adverse health effects caused by the pesticide hydrogen cyanamide, the incidence of 28 reported illnesses in Italy from 2002 to 2004 suggests.

Some 28 cases of illnesses associated with the pesticide hydrogen cyanamide were reported in Italy between 2002 and 2004, predominantly involving work-related exposures during application. Of those cases, 14 occurred from February 2002 and June 2003, when sales and use of the product Dormex, which contained hydrogen cyamamide, were suspended in Italy, and 14 cases occurred after the suspension was lifted and some preventive measures were put into place. The cases suggest that vigorous efforts are needed in Italy to ensure the use of engineering controls and personal protective equipment, among other steps.

Progress Toward Interruption of Wild Poliovirus Transmission ― Worldwide, January 2004-March 2005

Use of mOPV1 and improvements in reaching underserved population subgroups may interrupt transmission in 2005 in the Asian countries and Egypt, but circulation may continue in some African countries until systematic efforts are made in all high-risk districts to repeatedly reach every child with supplementary doses of OPV during the multi-country campaigns underway.

Since the World Health Assembly resolved to eradicate poliomyelitis globally in1988, the number of countries in which polio is endemic has declined from 125, to six by end-2003. Further progress in 2004 toward interruption of transmission has continued in Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. However, Africa was affected by a resurgence of polio cases in 2003-2004, which spread from the Nigeria-Niger endemic reservoir into 14 countries that had not reported polio for one year or more. Ongoing transmission of wild poliovirus has been re-established in six of these, including Sudan with a continuing outbreak. The greatest risks to the eradication of polio are 1) poor quality immunization campaigns resulting in the failure to reach all children; 2) sub-optimal surveillance in key countries; and 3) the need to sustain high political commitment to polio eradication.

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