October 16, 2009 / Vol. 58 / No. RR–12
Recommendations for Diagnosis of Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli Infections by Clinical Laboratories

Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are a leading cause of bacterial enteric infections in the United States. Prompt diagnosis of STEC infection is important to decrease the risk for serious complications. Prompt laboratory identification of STEC strains also is essential for detecting new and emerging serotypes, for effective and timely outbreak responses and control measures, and for monitoring trends in disease epidemiology. This report provides comprehensive and detailed recommendations for STEC testing by clinical laboratories, including the recommendation that all stools submitted for routine testing from patients with acute community-acquired diarrhea be simultaneously cultured for E. coli O157:H7 and tested with an assay that detects Shiga toxins to detect non-O157 STEC.

February 5, 2010 / Vol. 59 / No. SS–1
Surveillance of Certain Health Behaviors and Conditions Among States and Selected Local Areas — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2007

Heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes are among of the leading causes of death in the United States. Controlling health-risk behaviors and using preventive health-care services can reduce or prevent morbidity and premature mortality from such diseases. The Behavioral Risk Surveillance System (BRFSS) is an ongoing telephone survey of U.S. adults on health-risk behaviors and the use of preventative health-care services related to the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. This report summarizes the results from the 2007 BRFSS.