MMWR Weekly Briefing

Latest Episodes:

Week of December 11, 2023 Dec 28, 2023

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This week, MMWR published reports on unintentional firearm injury deaths among children and teens, suicide rates by industry, occupation, and sex, and more.

Week of November 13, 2023 Dec 15, 2023

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This episode discusses four MMWR reports. First, lack of timely testing and inadequate treatment contributed to almost 90% of congenital syphilis cases in the U.S. in 2022. Second, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease trends are stable, but disparities persist by age, sex, education, and rural residence. Third, the first occupational asthma death in a U.S. cannabis production worker has been reported. Finally, invasive pneumococcal disease was identified among people experiencing homelessness in Colorado.

Week of December 4, 2023 Dec 14, 2023

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This episode discusses four MMWR reports. First, prenatal care clinicians and fertility specialists should consider tuberculosis evaluations if their patients are from a country where tuberculosis is common. Second, CDC published updated recommendations for the use of inactivated polio vaccine for adults who are known to be unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated. Third, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are a leading global public health threat. They are spreading in Ukraine and surrounding countries, highlighting the need for rapid action. Finally, coordinated public health response leads to timely identification and interruption of a Legionnaires disease outbreak in California.

Week of November 27, 2023 Dec 08, 2023

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This episode discusses four MMWR reports. First, a new study finds at least 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine are effective at reducing emergency department visits and hospitalizations in young children. Second, wastewater monitoring helps experts better prepare for and respond to respiratory virus seasons. Third, the 2022 U.S. firearm suicide rate reached the highest level documented. Finally, a greater percentage of young children with HIV on antiretroviral treatment die compared to older individuals receiving similar treatment.

Week of November 6, 2023 Nov 15, 2023

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This episode discusses four MMWR reports. First, vaccination rates among kindergartners are still lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, 1 in 3 U.S. veterans has arthritis. Diagnosed arthritis is much more common among the youngest veterans compared with people of the same age. Finally, health care personnel were less likely to get a flu shot during the pandemic. Most were not up to date with COVID-19 vaccination during the last respiratory virus season.

Week of October 30, 2023 Nov 08, 2023

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This episode discusses four MMWR reports. First, vaccination coverage among children remains high. However, disparities persist and are widening for some groups of children. Second, CDC issues new recommendations for testing infants and children born to pregnant people with hepatitis C. Third, e-cigarette use among high school students declined in 2023, yet nearly half of youth who have tried e-cigarettes reported current use. Finally, further efforts are needed to identify and overcome barriers for clinicians implementing the most recent tuberculosis testing and treatment recommendations.

Week of October 23, 2023 Nov 02, 2023

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This episode discusses four MMWR reports. First, routine vaccination coverage increased globally in 2022 but has yet to return to 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Second, CDC used early-warning surveillance systems to track the emergence of COVID-19 variant BA.2.86. Third, CDC's Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance program identified the BA.2.86 variant in a traveler within days of its first identification globally. Finally, health workers continued to face a mental health crisis in 2022. Resources are available to improve their mental health.

Week of October 16, 2023 Nov 02, 2023

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This episode discusses four MMWR reports. First, hepatitis A vaccines prevent deaths, but they are still not reaching adults at highest risk. Second, the U.S. firearm homicide rate decreased in 2022, but remained higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Third, a Mycobacterium abscessus outbreak is linked to contaminated water and improper infection prevention and control practices. Finally, severe cases of Bartonella quintana infection were detected among people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in New York City.

Week of October 9, 2023 Oct 18, 2023

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This episode discusses four MMWR reports. First, the flu hit children and teens hard last season. Second, CDC recommends the RSV vaccine during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy to protect young infants. Third, CDC recommends everyone aged 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall. Finally, 1 in 5 U.S. adults have arthritis.

Week of October 2, 2023 Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

First, two CDC studies confirm RSV causes serious illness in older adults and highlight the potential benefit of RSV vaccines in preventing severe illness in this population. Next, adults 65 years and older accounted for 63% of all COVID-19-associated hospitalizations in the first half of 2023, yet more than 75% of those hospitalized had not received the recommended bivalent COVID-19 vaccine. Finally, a CDC study of long-term care facility residents found bivalent COVID-19 vaccine coverage was lowest among residents in the South and Southeast and among Black and Multiracial residents.

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