MMWR – Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

MMWR News Synopsis for May 1, 2014

Click here for the full MMWR articles. If you have questions about these summaries, please contact media@cdc.gov.

1. Potentially Preventable Deaths from the Five Leading Causes of Death — United States, 2008–2010

Each year, nearly 900,000 Americans die prematurely from the five leading causes of death – yet 20 percent to 40 percent of the deaths from each cause could be prevented. The five leading causes of death in the United States are heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, and unintentional injuries. Together they accounted for 63 percent of all U.S. deaths in 2010, with rates for each cause varying greatly from state to state. If every state had as low a death rate for each cause as the states with the lowest rates, the US would prevent 34 percent of premature deaths from heart diseases, 21 percent of premature cancer deaths, 39 percent of premature deaths from chronic lower respiratory disease, 33 percent of premature stroke deaths, and 39 percent of premature deaths from unintentional injuries. The findings provide potential disease-specific targets that states can use to measure their progress in preventing leading causes of death.

2. Outbreak of Campylobacteriosis Associated with a Long-Distance Obstacle Adventure Race — Nevada, October 2012

Lieutenant Colonel Chad D. Claar
Public Health Flight Commander
99 AMDS/SGPM
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
702-653-3440
chad.claar@us.af.mil

Inadvertent ingestion of muddy surface water contaminated with cattle or swine feces during a long-distance obstacle adventure course competition likely resulted in an outbreak of campylobacteriosis in 22 participants. In 2012 Nellis Air Force Base Public Health identified a total of 22 cases of acute diarrheal disease likely attributed to C. coli among participants in a long-distance obstacle adventure race in Beatty, Nevada. Eleven stool specimens were collected for culture, and four were positive for C. coli. This investigation established an association between inadvertent swallowing of muddy surface water and C. coli infection. In addition, the investigation supported the need for ongoing collection of stool specimens for culture during a food or waterborne outbreak to identify the causative agent and implement public health preventive measures. This outbreak highlights C. coli as a cause of diarrhea associated with such exposures and the importance of informing participants and race organizers regarding these hazards.

3. Falls and Fall Injuries Among Adults with Arthritis — United States, 2012

For all 50 states and DC, the age-adjusted prevalences of any fall, 2 or more falls, and fall injuries in the past 12 months were significantly higher among adults with arthritis compared with those without arthritis. Health care providers treating chronic conditions and public health practitioners may address this public health issue by raising awareness about the link between arthritis and falls, evaluating existing evidence-based arthritis interventions for their effect on falls, implementing fall prevention programs more widely through enhancements in clinical and community practice, and making other effective community interventions widely available. The prevalence of falls and fall injuries in the past 12 months is higher among middle-aged and older adults with arthritis than those without arthritis in every state and DC. Among adults with arthritis compared with adults without arthritis, the median age-adjusted prevalence (for all states and DC) was higher for a single fall (15.5 percent vs. 12.1 percent), for 2 or more falls (21.3 percent vs. 9.0 percent), and for fall injuries (16.2 percent vs. 6.5). The age-adjusted median prevalences (for 50 states and DC) of 1 fall, any fall (≥1 fall), ≥2 falls, and fall injuries were 1.3, 1.8, 2.4, and 2.5 times higher, respectively, among adults with arthritis compared with adults without arthritis.