Sunday, March 22, 2009

World TB Day --- March 24, 2009

World TB Day is observed each year on March 24 to commemorate the datein 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). Worldwide,TB remains one of the leading causes of death from infectious disease. An estimated 2 billion persons are infected with M. tuberculosis (1).

In 2006, approximately 9.2 million persons became ill from TB, and 1.7 million died from the disease (1). World TB Day provides anopportunity for TB programs, nongovernmental organizations, and other partners to describe problems and solutions related to the TB pandemic and to support worldwide TB control efforts. The U.S. theme for this year's observance is Partnerships for TB Elimination.

Additional information about World TB Day and CDC TB- elimination activities is available at http://www.cdc.gov/tb/worldtbday.

ref. MMWR March 20, 2009 / 58(10);249

Saturday, March 7, 2009

OSHA Resources - Pandemic Influenza

A new Safety and Health Topics Web page on pandemic influenza has been posted to OSHA's Web site. The page is a central repository for OSHA information and resources on helping workplaces prepare for a pandemic. One of the newest resources is a link to a Web page featuring answers to the most frequently asked questions about OSHA's Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guidance for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare Employers.