Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

November 9, 2012 / Vol. 61 / No. RR–5
Integrated Prevention Services for HIV Infection, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Tuberculosis for Persons Who Use Drugs Illicitly: Summary Guidance from CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
CE Available

This report summarizes current (as of 2011) guidelines or recommendations published by multiple agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for prevention and control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and tuberculosis (TB) for persons who use drugs illicitly. It also summarizes existing evidence of effectiveness for practices to support delivery of integrated prevention services for such persons. Consolidated guidance can strengthen efforts of health-care providers and public health providers to prevent and treat infectious diseases and disorders, use resources efficiently, and improve health care and outcomes in persons who use drugs illicitly.

November 23, 2012 / Vol. 61 / No. SS–8
Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2009

A total of 784,507 abortions were reported to CDC for 2009. Of these abortions, 772,630 (98.5%) were from the 45 reporting areas that provided data every year during 2000–2009. Among these same 45 reporting areas, the abortion rate for 2009 was 15.1 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years, and the abortion ratio was 227 abortions per 1,000 live births. Compared with 2008, the total number and rate of reported abortions for 2009 decreased 5%, representing the largest single year decrease for the entire period of analysis. The abortion ratio decreased 2%. From 2000 to 2009, the total number, rate, and ratio of reported abortions decreased 6%, 7%, and 8%, respectively, to the lowest levels for 2000–2009.

June 1, 2012 / Vol. 59 / No. 53
Summary of Notifiable Diseases — United States, 2010

Health-care providers in the United States are required to report certain infectious diseases to a specified state or local authority. A disease is designated as notifiable if timely information about individual cases is considered necessary for prevention and control of the disease. Each year, CDC publishes a summary of the cases of notifiable disease reported for the most recent year for which data is available. This report presents a summary of notifiable diseases for 2010.

August 10, 2012 / Vol. 61 / Supplement
Lead in Drinking Water and Human Blood Lead Levels in the United States

Since 1970, considerable reductions in lead concentrations have occurred in air, tap water, food, dust, and soil, which significantly reduced the BLLs of children throughout the United States. However, children are still being exposed to lead, and no safe blood lead threshold for children has been identified. This review describes a selection of peer-reviewed publications on childhood lead poisoning, sources of lead exposure for adults and children, particularly children aged <6 years, and the Safe Drinking Water Act Lead and Copper Rule of 1991. What is known and unknown about tap water as a source of lead exposure is summarized, and ways that children might be exposed to lead in drinking water are identified. When investigating cases of children with BLLs at or above the reference value established as the 97.5 percentile of the distribution of BLLs in U.S. children aged 1–5 years, drinking water should be considered as a source.