The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) reports that there have been eight cases of meningococcal disease confirmed this year, including one death. Recent cases serve as reminder of the importance of preventing this serious infectious disease. Public Health reminds residents,...

[CDC] Some five million Medicare Part D enrollees age 65 and older are not taking their blood pressure medicine properly, increasing life-threatening situations, according to a new Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medicare Part D is a federal program that helps...

According to the Brazilian Tourism Board, approximately 350,000 to 500,000 international visitors and athletes from 207 countries are expected to travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This travel volume represents a very small fraction – less than 0.25 percent...

United States government agencies and their colorectal cancer prevention partners have set a goal that at least 80 percent of adults ages 50 to 75 will be screened for colorectal cancer. A recently published study conducted by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that...

Thursday is World Hand Hygiene Day and the CDC is launching its new “Clean Hands Count” campaign urging healthcare professionals, patients and patients’ loved ones to prevent healthcare-associated infections by keeping their hands clean. Although hand contact is known to be a major way germs spread...

[CDC] – Nearly all Americans – regardless of age, race, gender or whether they have high blood pressure (hypertension) – consume more sodium than is recommended for a healthy diet. That is the conclusion of a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Thursday’...

Safer food saves lives From 2010 to 2014, multistate outbreaks caused 56% of deaths in all reported foodborne outbreaks despite accounting for just 3% of outbreaks. Foods involved in multistate outbreaks are contaminated before they reach a restaurant or home kitchen. Investigating these outbreaks...

High school athletes who play on sports teams smoke tobacco products at a lower rate than non-athletes, but use smokeless tobacco at a higher rate, according to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in today’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Data from national...

[CDC] – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday announced the launch of Prescription Drug Overdose: Prevention for States, a new program to help states end the ongoing prescription drug overdose epidemic. The Prevention for States program, as part of the U.S. Department of Health...

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM).   We all need shots (also called vaccinations or immunizations) to help protect us from serious disease. Understanding the difference between vaccines, vaccinations, and immunizations can be tricky. Below is an easy guide that explains how these...