Meningococcal Disease

In Nov. 2013, "the NJ Department of Health (NJDOH)" stated "The NJDOH  is aware of 8 cases of invasive meningococcal disease associated with Princeton University. NJDOH has considered this to be an outbreak of meningococcal disease . . . "

According to the NJDOH:

"You can help prevent the spread of illnesses by:"

a) "Avoid sharing utensils, water bottles or other items contaminated by saliva or respiratory secretions."
b) "Cleaning your hands. Washing your hands will help protect you against infections.  . . . You should clean your hands before eating."
c) "Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when coughing or sneezing."
d) "Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol intake."
e) all of the above


source:
http://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/meningo/documents/meningococcal_faq.pdf
answer:
e) all of the above

"Meningococcal disease can be spread from person to person. The bacteria are spread by
exchanging respiratory and throat secretions like saliva (spit) during close (for example,
coughing or kissing) or lengthy contact, . . . "

Child Deaths in the U.S.

According to the CDC,
the leading cause of death for children 1-14 years of age in the United States (2010) was "unintentional injury."

"Unintentional MV Traffic" is the leading cause of "unintentional injury" deaths for all children 1-14.
Specifically for children 1-4 years old, the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths is:

a) "Unintentional Drowning"
b) "MV Traffic"
c) "Homicide Unspecified"
d) "Unintentional Fire/Burn"

Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/10LCID_All_Deaths_By_Age_Group_2010-a.pdf 
http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/10LCID_Unintentional_Deaths_2010-a.pdf 
http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/leadingcauses.html 

Answer: (a) "Unintentional Drowning"

Preventing Pneumonia

According to the CDC (2013)

"In 2010, 1.1 million people in the United States were hospitalized with pneumonia, and about 50,000 people died from the disease."

"Globally, pneumonia kills more than 1 million children younger than 5 years of age each year. This is greater than the number of deaths from any other infectious disease, such as HIV infection, malaria or tuberculosis. "

Which of the following "can also help prevent respiratory infections" or pneumonia?
a) "good hygiene practices  . . . washing your hands regularly, cleaning hard surfaces that are touched often (like doorknobs and countertops)"  
b) "coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into your elbow or sleeve"
c) "vaccines in many cases"  d) "limiting exposure to cigarette smoke and treating and preventing conditions like diabetes."
e) all of the above

source:
"Pneumonia Can Be Prevented - Vaccines Can Help"  CDC Nov 2013
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Pneumonia/

answer: e) all of the above

"Pneumonia can be prevented with vaccines in many cases. In the United States, there are several vaccines that prevent infection by bacteria or viruses that may cause pneumonia."
"Following good hygiene practices can also help prevent respiratory infections. This includes washing your hands regularly, cleaning hard surfaces that are touched often (like doorknobs and countertops), and coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into your elbow or sleeve.

"You can also reduce your risk of getting pneumonia by limiting exposure to cigarette smoke and treating and preventing conditions like diabetes."

Folic Acid

According to the CDC (Jan 2012),

"Every woman needs folic acid every day, whether she’s planning to get pregnant or not,  . . . "
"CDC urges women to take ____ of folic acid every day, starting at least one month before getting pregnant, to help prevent major birth defects of the baby's brain and spine."  
(mcg = micrograms, mg = milligrams)
a) 100 mcg 
b) 400 mcg 
c) 100 mg 
d) 400 mg 


Source:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/about.html


Answer;  b) 400 mcg 

Child Safety

According to the CDC (Sep 2011):
"Injuries are the leading cause of death for young people from birth through age 19.  . . . every year, 9.2 million babies, children, and teens are injured severely enough to need treatment in emergency departments . . .  $300 billion a year."
The CDC gives the following recommendations (among several others) to improve child safety:

Poisonings: "Put the poison control number, 1-800-222-1222, on or near every home telephone."
Drownings: "Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and get recertified every two years."
Burns: "Set your water heater's thermostat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower."Road Traffic Injuries: "Transport children under ____ in the back seat of your vehicle."

a) age 3
b) age 5
c) age 13
d) age 15
Source:  http://www.cdc.gov/features/colormesafe/index.html  
Answer: c) age 13

Weekly Health Quiz: Colorectal Cancer

According to the CDC (Oct 2013)

"You should begin screening for colorectal cancer soon after turning 50, then keep getting screened regularly until the age of 75.  . . . Some people are at a higher risk than others for developing colorectal cancer. . .  If you think you may be at high risk for colorectal cancer, talk to your doctor about when and how often to get tested."
“Symptoms for colorectal cancer may include”

a) “Blood in or on the stool (bowel movement)”
b) “Stomach pain, aches, or cramps that do not go away”
c) “Losing weight and you don't know why”
d) all of the aboveSource: “March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month”
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/features/ColorectalAwareness/

Answer (d) all of the above

(c) 2013 zBlox.com

Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

According to the CDC (Aug 2013)

"Whooping cough is very contagious and can cause serious illness―especially in babies too young to be fully vaccinated." "In the United States, the recommended whooping cough vaccine for children is called DTaP . . . protects children against three diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough. "

Which is/are true regarding Pertussis (whooping cough)  vaccinations (DTap and Tdap) and whooping cough?
a) "Anyone who comes in close contact with your baby, from older siblings and cousins to grandparents and caregivers, should be up-to-date with whooping cough vaccination."

b) "Only one dose of Tdap is recommended for most people 11 years and older."

c) "CDC recommends that all adults 19 years of age and older who didn't get Tdap as a preteen or teen should get one dose of Tdap."

d) "Currently, the only group that CDC recommends get more than one dose of this vaccine is pregnant women (each time they are pregnant)." (Tdap)

e) all of the above

Answer(s) and source(s)

(e) all of the above

CDC: Pertussishttp://www.cdc.gov/Features/Pertussis/