Search

OBJECTIVE: We reviewed recent reports of recalled children's products contaminated with lead to learn more about what could be done to inform public health partners about the recalls in a timely manner to assist with broader consumer notification for proactive lead poisoning prevention efforts. METHODS: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff reviewed lead-related recall notices for children's products issued during June 2022 through April 2024. Recall notices were extracted from the Consumer Product Safety Commission using Really Simple Syndication feed technology to identify and capture the most current recall information. Specific product details in the database were extracted and analyzed descriptively to identify response trends and best practices. RESULTS: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's automated tool identified 30 recalls from Consumer Product Safety Commission. Lead-contaminated toys were the most frequent type of product recalled (n = 11, 37%). Most products were manufactured in China (n = 24, 86%). Products were on the market for an average of 25 months before they were recalled. No injuries were reported. The 30 recalls resulted in a combined number of 914 598 recalled units sold. CONCLUSIONS: The current approach to protecting children from lead hazards in consumer products could be augmented by timely notifying the public health community about recalls so they can broadly disseminate information through their channels to reduce lead exposure in children. Additional steps to reduce lead contamination in children'sproductswhen sourcing raw materials and components may help to decrease the number of recalls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has been conducted on enteric viral pathogens and their indicators such as coliform bacteria and coliphages. The authors have investigated the relationship between the pathogens' and their indicators' survival in water, and they report that the survival rates are highly correlated, and that F-specific RNA phages may be the indicators of noroviruses in the environment.

Noroviruses are a leading cause of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis throughout the world. So far, in vitro growth of these viruses has not been achieved in human origin cell lines and limited efforts have been made to evaluate the susceptibility of animal origin cell cultures. The main objective of this study was to evaluate primary and established cell cultures from a variety of animal species for in vitro growth of human noroviruses. A total of 19 cell cultures from 11 different animal species were evaluated. Cell monolayers were inoculated with one of the two fecal samples known to contain noroviruses. The infected cell monolayers were observed daily for up to 5 days for any cytopathological effects (CPE) after which the infected cell suspension was inoculated in their respective fresh cells for a total of five blind passages. At fifth blind passage RT-PCR assay was used to detect the presence of norovirus RNA. None of the blind passage in any cell culture showed the evidence of any morphological change. When tested by RT-PCR, fifth cell culture passages from all cells were negative for norovirus RNA. These results indicate that the 19 cell types used in this study are not susceptible to noroviruses and that search should continue for a suitable cell culture system in which noroviruses can be isolated, propagated, and titrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead's neurotoxic properties and potential harmful effects to humans, particularly young children, have been recognized for decades, influencing public health policies to reduce its admixture in house paint and passenger car gasoline. We signal 3 emergent trends: firearm proliferation, complex international food supply chains, and equally complex product marketing strategies, which have opened opportunities for lead exposure to children from guns and ammunition, and lead contamination in children's food and consumer goods. Readers will also be apprised of Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and education strategies cultivated and advanced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its lead prevention partners. A national governmental policy update is included, as are future considerations., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES: The findings and conclusions in this commentary are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Context: Lead exposures among school-age children are a major public health issue. Although the harmful effects of lead exposure during the first years of life are well known, there is not as much understanding of the effects of low levels of lead exposure during later childhood., Objectives: To review the effects of blood lead levels (BLLs) <10 µg/dL in school-age children and adolescents., Data Sources: We searched Medline, Embase, Global health, CINAHL, Scopus, and Environmental Science Collection databases between January 1, 2000, and May 11, 2023., Study Selection: We included peer-reviewed English-language articles that presented data on the effects of BLLs <10 µg/dL in individuals ages 5 through 18 years., Data Extraction: Data on country, population, analytic design, sample size, age, BLLs, outcomes, covariates, and results were extracted., Results: Overall, 115 of 3180 screened articles met the inclusion criteria. The reported mean or median BLL was <5 µg/dL in 98 articles (85%). Of the included articles, 89 (77%) presented some evidence of an association between BLLs <10 µg/dL during school age and detrimental outcomes in a wide range of categories. The strongest evidence of an association was for the outcomes of intelligence quotient and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnoses or behaviors., Limitations: Few articles controlled for BLLs at age <5 years, limiting conclusions about the relation between later BLLs and outcomes., Conclusions: BLLs <10 µg/dL in school-age children and adolescents may be associated with negative outcomes. This review highlights areas that could benefit from additional investigation., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES: The authors have indicated they have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Objectives: The purpose of this analysis is to better understand laws and practices guiding prevention activities in childhood lead poisoning prevention programs funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., Methods: In 2022, CDC surveyed 62 funded programs using the Awardee Lead Profile Assessment. Information was collected about childhood lead poisoning-related laws and guidance, surveillance and prevention strategies, and program services including at what blood lead levels (BLLs) various activities are performed. Separately, CDC reviewed state health department websites to obtain information on which states implemented CDC's updated blood lead reference value., Results: Awardee Lead Profile Assessment results are only reported for 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Almost all programs (96%) have laws requiring reporting of BLLs, and 51% require BLLs be reported electronically to jurisdictional health departments. Most programs (80%) prioritize areas and populations that are high risk for lead poisoning prevention activities. Approximately half of the programs (51%) have a lead elimination plan or goal. Thirty-nine percent of the programs have already implemented policies, laws, or regulations to achieve lead elimination, and 74% are in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the country. As of March 2023, 71% of the programs have implemented CDC's updated blood lead reference value, and most (65%) did so via guidance for health care providers and laboratories for what BLL should initiate case management and other services for lead-exposed children., Conclusions: Almost all programs have mandatory BLL reporting laws, and about two-thirds of the programs updated their BLLs that trigger public health action., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES: The authors have indicated they have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

The negative impact of lead exposure on young children and those who become pregnant is well documented but is not well known by those at highest risk from this hazard. Scientific evidence suggests that there is no known safe blood lead level (BLL), because even small amounts of lead can be harmful to a child's developing brain (1). In 2012, CDC introduced the population-based blood lead reference value (BLRV) to identify children exposed to more lead than most other children in the United States. The BLRV should be used as a guide to 1) help determine whether medical or environmental follow-up actions should be initiated for an individual child and 2) prioritize communities with the most need for primary prevention of exposure and evaluate the effectiveness of prevention efforts. The BLRV is based on the 97.5th percentile of the blood lead distribution in U.S. children aged 1-5 years from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. NHANES is a complex, multistage survey designed to provide a nationally representative assessment of health and nutritional status of the noninstitutionalized civilian adult and child populations in the United States (2). The initial BLRV of 5 μg/dL, established in 2012, was based on data from the 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 NHANES cycles. Consistent with recommendations from a former advisory committee, this report updates CDC's BLRV in children to 3.5 μg/dL using NHANES data derived from the 2015-2016 and 2017-2018 cycles and provides helpful information to support adoption by state and local health departments, health care providers (HCPs), clinical laboratories, and others and serves as an opportunity to advance health equity and environmental justice related to preventable lead exposure. CDC recommends that public health and clinical professionals focus screening efforts on populations at high risk based on age of housing and sociodemographic risk factors. Public health and clinical professionals should collaborate to develop screening plans responsive to local conditions using local data. In the absence of such plans, universal BLL testing is recommended. In addition, jurisdictions should follow the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requirement that all Medicaid-enrolled children be tested at ages 12 and 24 months or at age 24-72 months if they have not previously been screened (3)., Competing Interests: All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.