Different regions of the United States have experienced outbreaks caused by bacteria and viruses in recent months. Some of these events have approached epidemic levels, while others have been relatively small in scale. Five such outbreaks are detailed below.
Legionnaires'
The New York City Health Department has confirmed 12 cases of Legionnaires' among residents of the Flushing neighborhood in Queens as of Oct. 24.
All 12 cases resulted in hospitalizations. At least seven of the infected individuals have been discharged from the hospital. As of Oct. 24, health officials were investigating the cases and testing water samples extracted from cooling towers in the area.
Legionnaires' disease is a form of virulent pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. It is transmitted through the inhalation of small droplets of contaminated water. The bacteria can be particularly harmful to the elderly individuals with lung disease and those with compromised immune systems.
Hepatitis A
The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency on Oct. 24 increased the case count in the county's ongoing hepatitis A outbreak to 516, marking a nine-case uptick from the week prior.
Additionally, the county increased the hospitalizations related to the outbreak by six, bringing the total to 357. The outbreak's death toll remained at 19. Health department officials have been investigating the outbreak, which has primarily affected the county's homeless and illicit drug user populations, since early 2017. County health officials declared the outbreak a public health emergency Sept. 1.
Symptoms of hepatitis A infection include abdominal pain, low-grade fever, nausea, fatigue and jaundice. The virus is highly transmissible and most often spread via contact with fecal matter from an infected individual.
Mumps
As of Oct. 24, officials with Syracuse (N.Y.) University were encouraging students to seek a third dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine amid a campus-wide outbreak of the mumps.
In addition to encouraging the campus community to engage in good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of infection, the Onondaga County Health Department, the New York State Department of Health and the university made more than 4,000 MMR vaccines available to students to address possible waning immunity, as vaccine effectiveness can lessen over time. As of Oct. 23, there were 27 confirmed cases and 45 probable cases of the mumps reported on campus.
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices issued new rcommendations Oct. 25, promoting the use of a third MMR dose for people who are at an increased risk for infection when an outbreak occurs.
Salmonella
The CDC issued its final update Oct. 19 regarding its investigation into 10 multistate outbreaks of Salmonella linked to poultry kept in residential backyards.
From Jan. 4 to Sept. 22, the CDC identified 1,120 Salmonella infections across 48 states and the District of Columbia. The case count represents the largest number of illnesses linked to contact with backyard poultry ever recorded by the agency. The outbreaks have resulted in 249 hospitalizations and one death.
The outbreaks involved several different strains of the bacteria, including Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Hadar and Salmonella Typhimurium, among others.
To avoid infections, the CDC recommends individuals thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water after touching live poultry and not permit children under 5 years old to handle chicks, ducklings or other live poultry without adult supervision.
Norovirus
Hawaii State Department of Health officials on Oct. 13 said 45 individuals became ill after eating at a restaurant in Waikiki. Officials confirmed some cases as norovirus.
The Herringbone restaurant voluntarily closed Oct. 12 and reportedly cooperated with the health department's investigation.
Among all age groups, 16 percent of acute gastroenteritis illnesses are caused by norovirus. The illness contributes to an average of 56,000 to 71,000 hospitalizations and 570 to 800 deaths each year, according to the CDC.
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