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Table 3. CASES OF SPECIFIED DISEASES: SELECTED CITIES FOR WEEK ENDED
NOVEMBER 28, 1953-Continued

(Numbers after diseases are category numbers of the Sixth Revision of the International Lists, 1948)

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The chart shows the number of deaths reported for 106 major cities of the United States by week for the current year, and, for comparison, the median of the number of deaths reported for the corresponding weeks of the three previous calendar years. (The median is the central one of the three values arranged in order of magnitude.) If a report is not received from a city in time to be included in the total for the current week, an estimate is made to maintain comparability for graphic presentation.

The figures reported represent the number of death certificates received in the vital statistics offices during the week indicated, for deaths occurring in that city. Figures compiled in this way, by week of receipt, usually approximate closely the number of deaths occurring during the week. However, differences are to be expected because of variations in the interval

between death and receipt of the certificate.

While week-to-week changes in the total number of deaths reported for all major cities generally represent a change in mortality conditions, this may not be true for variations in weekly figures for each city. For example, in a city where 50 deaths are the weekly average, the number of deaths occurring in a week may be expected to vary by chance alone from 36 to 64 (d ± 2Vd, where d represents the average number of deaths per week).

The number of deaths in cities of the same size may also differ because of variations in the age, race, and sex composition of their populations, and because some cities are hospital centers serving the surrounding areas. Changes from year to year in the number of deaths may be due in part to population increases or decreases.

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December 11, 1953

Washington 25, D. C.

Vol. 2, No. 48

Provisional Information on Selected Notifiable Diseases in the United States for Week Ended December 5, 1953

The cumulative totals since January 1, 1953, for most of the diseases listed in table 1 on page 2 are less than the corresponding figures for last year. For 3 diseases-Rocky Mountain spotted fever, smallpox, and trichiniasis-the incidence this year shows little change over that for the corresponding period of 1952. The numbers of cases reported for these diseases during the first 48 weeks of the current year are 293, 16 (all unconfirmed), and 351, respectively. For the corresponding period of 1952 the totals were as follows: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, 311; smallpox, 15; and trichiniasis, 339. There are 4 diseases for which the reported cases exceed those for the corresponding period of last year. They are (last year's figures in parentheses): Infectious hepatitis, 30,061 (15,284); meningococcal infections, 4,753 (4,453); scarlet fever and streptococcal sore throat, 123,893 (100,229); and endemic typhus fever, 224 (169).

The incidence of meningococcal infections has been increasing continuously for the past 5 years. The incidence of scarlet fever and streptococcal sore throat reflects a large number of cases which were reported during the first 2 months of this year. The cumulative total for the subsequent 8 months of 1953 was only 3 percent more than that for the same period of 1952. Beginning with the first of November, the incidence has been continuously less than that for the corresponding period of 1952. The other 2 diseases with high incidence for the current year were added January 1, 1952, to the list of notifiable diseases to be reported weekly. The increase in reported cases of these diseases may reflect better reporting rather than an actual increase in incidence. Although the incidence of endemic typhus fever is higher this year than for 1952, the total for the year is expected to be substantially less than final figures for previous years. About 95 percent of the cases for this disease are reported in the Southern States.

For the current week, 17 cases of malaria were reported as compared with 39 for the corresponding week of last year. Of the total cases for the current week, 11 were among civilians, 10 of which were in Texas (7) and California (3). In California, the cases were vivax infections. Two patients arrived from Mexico within 2 weeks prior to onset of illness, and for 1, the source of infection was Korea.

Psittacosis

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REPORTS

A delayed report of a suspect case of psittacosis has been received from Dr. R. F. McAteer, Rhode Island Department of Health. The case occurred early last summer in a 69-year-old woman. The symptoms were sudden onset, complete collapse

of patient, general malaise, and fever. There were no pulmonary symptoms. The only blood specimen taken was positive in a dilution of 1:4 at the CDC laboratory. The patient had been in contact with birds all her life and gave a parakeet away 1 month before the onset of her illness. The present location of the bird is unknown.

Murine typhus fever

The Los Angeles County Health Department has reported a case of murine typhus fever in a railroad switchman. Many rats had been observed by the patient in the switching yards, but he noted a number of flea bites on the legs after standing near a dead hog. Two specimens of blood from rats (R. norvegicus) were negative. Diagnosis in the patient was confirmed by a positive complement fixation test.

Gastro-enteritis

Dr. A. M. Washburn, Arkansas State Board of Health, reports an outbreak of gastro-enteritis in a group of 24 persons who ate a noon meal at a local restaurant. These persons became ill with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Seventeen sought medical advice and all were free of illness in less than 24 hours, except an aged person who died. This death was attributed to a cardiac lesion aggravated by this acute illness. The investigation indicated that roast pork and dressing was probably the vehicle of infection but no samples were available for bacteriological examination.

Dr. A. C. Hollister, Jr., California Department of Public Health, reports an outbreak of gastro-enteritis in a private home. Five persons became ill with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pains from 1 to 2 hours after eating a cake. The cake was made from a commercial cake mix but the frosting and filling were made at home with powdered sugar and butter. A specimen of the cake filling was positive for hemolytic Staphylococcus aureus. No previous illness was reported in the food handler.

Information has been received of an outbreak of staphylococcal food poisoning at Fort Dix, following the ingestion of left-over baked ham. A total of 157 cases was reported to have occurred. No persons were ill after eating some of this ham at a previous meal. A hemolytic staphylococcus was isolated from a specimen of this food.

Dr. Raymond Fear, County Health Officer, New York State, reports an outbreak of gastro-enteritis in a school. Of 129 persons at the school, 39 became ill with abdominal cramps followed by diarrhea. There was no nausea or vomiting, and only 1 patient had fever. Diarrhea lasted about 12 hours in the more severe cases. The mode of spread was not determined, but it was thought to have been by person to person contact. This was probably virus gastro-enteritis.

Table 1. COMPARATIVE DATA FOR CASES OF SPECIFIED NOTIFIABLE DISEASES: UNITED STATES

(Numbers after diseases are category numbers of the Sixth Revision of the International Lists, 1948)

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3Addition: Georgia, week ended November 7, 1 case.

*Additions: Georgia and Kentucky, week ended November 7, 7 and 14 cases, respectively; Mississippi, week ended November 14, 27

cases.

5Addition: Oregon, week ended November 21, 1 case.

Deductions: Maine, week ended October 10, 1 case; Nebraska, week ended November 7, 1 case; Missouri, week ended November 28,

1 case.

7Addition: West Virginia, week ended November 28, 43 cases. Addition: North Carolina, week ended November 21, 1 case.

SOURCE AND NATURE OF DATA

These provisional data are based on reports from State and territorial health departments to the Public Health Service. They give the total number of cases of certain communicable diseases reported during the week usually ended the preceding

Saturday. When the diseases which rarely occur (cholera, dengue, plague, typhus fever-epidemic, and yellow fever) are reported, they will be noted under the table above.

Symbols.-1 dash [-]: no cases reported; asterisk [*]: disease stated not notifiable; parentheses, [ ] : data not included in total; 3 dashes [---] data not available.

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