CDC summarizes incidence of infectious diseases in 2013

The CDC recently published a summary of notifiable infectious diseases and conditions that occurred in the United States in 2013.

The report included data on recurrent diseases that warrant prevention and control efforts. The information was voluntarily submitted by state and local health departments to assist the CDC and other public health authorities in responding to sudden outbreaks and health threats.

“Tracking and responding to infectious and noninfectious diseases is a major part of CDC’s mission to protect America’s health,” CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, said in a press release. “These annual summaries let us take the nation’s pulse and see where we are succeeding and what we need to do better.”

Infectious Disease News/Healio.com compiled stories corresponding with the recent report. Notifiable infectious diseases in 2013 include:

West Nile virus — The incidence of West Nile virus has increased since 2008. Nearly 2,500 infections were confirmed in 47 states and the District of Columbia, resulting in 1,267 cases of meningitis, encephalitis and acute flaccid paralysis, and 119 deaths. Despite this, the CDC reported in June that health departments across the U.S. had diminished mosquito monitoring and laboratory testing resources since 2004, and lacked systematic disease-based surveillance for other arboviruses. Read more.
Chlamydia — The incidence of chlamydia declined for the first time since national reporting began from 453.3 cases to 446.6 cases per 100,000 population. Overall, nearly 1.4 million cases were reported. Fewer cases were reported in women; however, the CDC noted that such a decrease may be attributed to a drop in screening. Read more.
Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) — The number of overall reported cases decreased by 47% in the U.S. since 2012, with 9,438 confirmed cases in 2013. More recently, however, coccidioidomycosis was detected in Washington State, far outside its usual range in the southwestern U.S., and increased by more than fivefold in Missouri since 2004. Read more.
Cyclosporiasis — Nearly 800 cases of cyclosporiasis were reported in 2013. At least two outbreaks were linked with bagged salad mix and cilantro imported from Mexico; however, the source of more than two-thirds of infections was not determined. The outbreaks are still under investigation. Read more.
Dengue —Dengue outbreaks occurred in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico in 2013. U.S. travelers returning from epidemic countries in the Caribbean and Central and South America resulted in 794 infections. Read more.
Gonorrhea — The number of cases increased by 8.8% from 2009 to 2012, but slightly decreased in 2013 to 106.1 cases per 100,000 population. Gonorrhea increased 4.3% among men and decreased 5.1% among women. The infection is difficult to treat because of the bacteria’s growing resistance to antibiotics. Therefore, the CDC recently added alternate treatment options in its guidelines. Read more.
Influenza-associated pediatric deaths — More than 161 pediatric deaths occurred in 2013 — a more than threefold increase compared with 2012, and a twofold decrease compared with 2009. On Feb. 26, 2015, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in favor of annual influenza vaccinations in all people aged 6 months and older without contraindications. Read more.
Measles — Ten measles outbreaks were reported in 2013, three of which accounted for more than half of all cases. Every outbreak was linked with a traveler returning to the U.S. who transmitted the virus into communities of unvaccinated people. A recent study showed that only 47% of participants were vaccinated against the measles during a pre-travel consultation. Read more.
Meningococcal disease —U.S. rates remained low in 2013. However, serogroup B outbreaks occurred at two universities in California and New Jersey, resulting in 13 infections and one death. In January, the FDA approved the recombinant vaccine Bexsero (Novartis) for serogroup B individuals aged 10 to 25 years. Read more.
Novel influenza viruses — Twenty-one cases of human infection with variant flu viruses occurred in the U.S., all of which were associated with direct or indirect contact with swine. More recently, however, the CDC’s Influenza Division, said a separate influenza dose of swine flu vaccine does not appear necessary for children aged 6 months to 8 years now that the disease is no longer pandemic. Read more.
Salmonellosis — More than 1 million Salmonellosis infections are reported each year in the U.S., according to the CDC. The largest multistate outbreak in 2013 was linked with contaminated chicken. Other notable outbreaks were traced to live poultry, tahini sesame paste, cucumbers and small pet turtles. The most recent Salmonella Poona outbreak in September affected more than 340 people and was linked to cucumbers imported from Mexico. Read more.
Hepatitis C virus — HCV increased 73.9% in 2013, resulting in 2,138 cases vs. 800 to 1,000 annual cases reported between 2006 and 2010. There was a significant increase in the number of acute cases in younger, nonminority, injection drug users. The CDC recently reported at IDWeek 2015 that HCV is now the most frequently recorded underlying or contributing infection on death certificates, superseding all 60 other infectious conditions combined and unabated by improving antiviral therapy. Read more.
Pertussis — Incidence of pertussis declined between 2012 and 2013, yet the number of cases remained greater than during the 1990s and early 2000s. Recent research found that electronic reminders regarding patients about Tdap vaccine have helped to increase vaccination rates. Read more.