Measles Still Leading Cause of Vaccine-Preventable Deaths in Children
WASHINGTON -- According to a study in the May 23, 2003 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), despite the availability of a safe, effective and inexpensive vaccine for 40 years, measles remains the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths in children. The report is titled, "Update: Global Measles Control and Mortality Reduction -- Worldwide, 1991-2001."
Measles was responsible for 770,000 deaths globally in 2000. Of these measles-associated deaths, 98 percent occurred in the 75 countries with gross domestic products of less than $1,000 per capita, and 58 percent occurred in the WHO region of Africa.
According to the report, reducing the high burden of measles will require a comprehensive approach. Affected countries will need to achieve high coverage in each district and nationally with the first dose of measles vaccine administered through routine services to children (who are nine months of age or shortly thereafter). This approach should be followed with a second opportunity for measles immunization for all children, the establishment of effective surveillance for measles, and improved case management.
Source: CDC
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.
