CDC Data Show Weekly ER Visits for Tick Bites Higher than Usual
CDC's Tick Bite Data Tracker shows weekly emergency department visits for tick bites are currently above historical norms in most U.S. regions, with rates in all areas except the South Central U.S. at their highest for this time of year since 2017.
CDC is urging preventive measures ahead of Lyme Disease Awareness Month in May, citing risks of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and al…
CDC Reports Emergence of Extensively Drug-Resistant Shigella
CDC analysis published in MMWR reports a marked rise in extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Shigella infections in the United States. Among 16,788 isolates collected from 2011–2023, 3% were XDR, increasing from 0% in 2011–2015 to 8.5% in 2023.
Most cases occurred in adult men, with limited travel history, suggesting domestic transmission. XDR strains are resistant to five key antibiotics, and no…
Fertility Rate Drops to New Record Low: CDC
The CDC reports that the U.S. general fertility rate declined 1% in 2025 to 53.1 births per 1,000 females ages 15–44, marking another record low and a continued long-term downward trend since 2007.
Teen birth rates fell sharply, including a 7% decline among ages 15–19. The total fertility rate remains below replacement level, and increasing proportions of adults report delaying or forgoing pa…
The White House Wants to Cut WIC Fruit and Vegetable Benefits by 75%—Here’s What Dietitians Warn
The White House’s fiscal year 2027 budget proposal includes significant reductions to the WIC program’s fruit and vegetable benefits, lowering monthly allowances from $52 to $13 for breastfeeding mothers and from $27 to $10 for families with young children.
Public health and nutrition experts emphasize that WIC is strongly associated with improved child diet quality and health outcomes, largely due to its support for produce access during critical early-life stages. Dietitians warn that reducing benefits could widen existing nutrition gaps for low-income families, despite evidence that fo…
MMWR: Kratom-Related Poison Center Reports Surge 1,200%
Published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, new data show kratom-related exposures reported to U.S. poison centers increased approximately 1,200% from 2015 to 2025, reaching a record high.
The findings highlight a shift toward higher-potency products and expanding use across demographic groups. Although many cases involved kratom alone, co-use with substances such as alcohol, opioids, and antidepressants was linked to more severe outcomes, including hospitalizations and deaths.
The report underscores the importance of continued surveillance, targeted public health educatio…