MMWR – Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

News Summary for August 4, 2011

1. West Nile Virus and Other Arboviral Diseases — United States, 2010

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
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This report summarizes surveillance data reported to CDC in 2010 for West Nile Virus (WNV) and other nationally notifiable arboviruses. Forty states and the District of Columbia (DC) reported 1,021 cases of WNV disease in 2010. Of these, 629 (62 percent) were classified as WNV neuroinvasive disease, for a national incidence of 0.2 per 100,000 population. States with the highest incidence were Arizona (1.6), New Mexico (1.0), Nebraska (0.6), and Colorado (0.5). As seen in previous years, WNV neuroinvasive disease incidence increased with increasing age, with the highest incidence among persons aged greater than 70 years. After WNV, the next most commonly reported cause of neuroinvasive arboviral disease was California serogroup viruses, followed by eastern equine encephalitis virus, St. Louis encephalitis virus, and Powassan virus. WNV and other arboviruses continue to cause focal outbreaks and serious illness in substantial numbers of persons. Maintaining surveillance remains important to help direct and promote prevention activities.

2. Carbon Monoxide Exposures — United States, 2000–2009

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
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During 2000–2009, 45.1 percent of carbon monoxide (CO) exposures reported by the National Poison Data System (NPDS) were managed outside of a health-care facility. These exposures would not have been identified by existing surveillance methods based on health-care administrative records.
CO poisoning is a leading cause of unintentional poisoning deaths in the United States, yet it is preventable. The NPDS, a near real-time surveillance system on calls placed to the US poison centers, was used to depict the burden of CO exposures and their true health impact and cost to society more accurately. We found that the demographics of persons managed on-site for CO exposure and those treated at a health-care facility were similar, and that the predominant exposure location (i.e. residence) also was similar.  This suggests that current prevention efforts for CO poisoning, such as home installation of CO alarms, can protect individuals whether or not their poisoning is severe enough to warrant care at a health-care facility. 

3. Licensure of a Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine for Children Aged 2–10 Years and Updated Guidance for the Booster Dose for Persons Aged 2–55 Years at Increased Risk for Meningococcal Disease

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
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This Policy Note reports that Menveo, one of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine products, is now licensed for 2-20 year olds.  Additionally, data is presented that shows that you can use either vaccine product as the booster dose in adolescents. The booster dose should be given when indicated using any available meningococcal conjugate vaccine product.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES