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To estimate the prevalence and predictors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among inmates, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 1994 among inmates entering six reception centers of the California Department of Corrections. Discarded serum samples were tested for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), HCV, hepatitis B core, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Of 4,513 inmates in this study, 87.0% were men and 13.0% were women. Among male inmates, 39.4% were anti-HCV-positive; by race/ethnicity, prevalences were highest among whites (49.1%). Among female inmates, 53.5% were anti-HCV-positive; the prevalence was highest among Latinas (69.7%). In addition, rates for HIV were 2.5% for men and 3.1% for women; and for HBsAg, 2.2% (men) and 1.2% (women). These data indicate that HCV infection is common among both men and women entering prison. The high seroprevalence of anti-HCV-positive inmates may reflect an increased prevalence of high-risk behaviors and should be of concern to the communities to which these inmates will be released.

On January 1, 1993, the case definition of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in adults and adolescents used for monitoring the AIDS epidemic in California was expanded to include persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with CD4 T-lymphocyte counts of less than 200 x 10(6) per liter (< 200 per mm3), pulmonary tuberculosis, recurrent pneumonia, or invasive cervical cancer. To assess the implications of this revision on AIDS case reporting in California, we compared cases reported through the end of 1994 based on 1 or more of the 4 new AIDS-defining conditions added in 1993 to cases reported based on pre-1993 AIDS-defining opportunistic infections and cancers. The 4 new conditions included in the 1993 expanded AIDS case definition accounted for a 23% increase in cumulative AIDS cases reported in California by the end of 1993, a 170% increase in the number of cases reported during 1993, and an 88% increase in the number of patients with AIDS living at the end of 1993. The number of cases reported in 1993 (19,629) was 124% more than that reported in 1992 (8,780) and 69% more than that reported in 1994 (11,587). The proportion of cases among women, injection-drug users, and African Americans also increased as a result of this change in the case definition. The expansion of the case definition may have resulted in a peak or plateau in the AIDS incidence in California because of reporting earlier in the HIV disease progression. The expanded case definition has enhanced the usefulness of AIDS surveillance data for targeting secondary prevention efforts, but more behavioral and HIV serosurveys are still needed to adequately target primary HIV prevention efforts.

To determine the proportion and distribution of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in California, we surveyed all California counties for drug-susceptibility test results for initial isolates from tuberculosis cases counted during the first quarters of 1991 and 1992. Overall, drug-susceptibility test results were not available for 17% of isolates. Among isolates with available test results, the proportion with resistance to isoniazid averaged 8.7%, and the proportion with resistance to at least 2 drugs, multidrug resistance, averaged 5.9% during these two quarters. The proportion of isolates with drug resistance did not change substantially during these time periods. The proportion with combined isoniazid and rifampin resistance remained stable at about 1.1%. Among persons whose isolates were tested for drug resistance, those with a known previous diagnosis of tuberculosis (relative risk [RR] = 2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6 to 4.3; P < .01) and persons who were foreign born (RR = 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.7; P = .014) were more likely to have isoniazid-resistant organisms. These statewide data suggest that the initial tuberculosis treatment regimen in California should include 4 antituberculosis drugs, as recommended by the American Thoracic Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for areas with a prevalence of isoniazid resistance of 4% or greater. The lack of test results for 1 in 6 patients with tuberculosis suggests the need for improved physician and laboratorian education to implement the recommendations that drug susceptibility be tested on all initial isolates.

To determine the incidence of physician-diagnosed Lyme disease in an endemic area of California, an active surveillance program was implemented in Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, and southern Humboldt counties. More than 200 medical care providers were called monthly for their list of suspected cases of Lyme disease. Pertinent information was abstracted from the medical record of each patient. Of 153 cases of possible early Lyme disease ascertained from July 1991 to December 1992, 37% consisted of physician-diagnosed erythema migrans. Only 58% of erythema migrans rashes were at least 5 cm in diameter. An additional 43 patients had suspicious rashes not classified as erythema migrans. Of 166 patients with possible late-stage Lyme disease, 31% had specific clinical symptoms and 75% had a positive serologic test. With an incident case defined as physician-diagnosed erythema migrans of at least 5 cm in diameter, the annual incidence of Lyme disease in northwestern coastal California according to active surveillance only was 5.5 per 100,000. The rate of Lyme disease in California is substantially lower than that in the Atlantic northeastern United States. Many suspected cases of Lyme disease in this endemic area do not meet surveillance criteria, which are intentionally restrictive. Although some of the illnesses not meeting surveillance criteria may be due to infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, it appears that Lyme disease is being overdiagnosed in this area.

During 1988 through 1990, California experienced its worst measles epidemic in more than a decade, with 16,400 reported cases, 3,390 hospital admissions, and 75 deaths. More than half of the patients were younger than 5 years; the highest incidence was among infants younger than 12 months. The epidemic centered in low-income Hispanic communities in southern and central California. The major cause of the epidemic was low immunization levels among preschool-aged children and young adults. Rates of complications, admission to hospital, and death were surprisingly high. Outbreak control efforts met with indeterminate success. Problems with these efforts included insufficient funding early in the epidemic and disappointing public response to community-based immunization campaigns. The cost of medical care and outbreak control for the epidemic is conservatively estimated at $30.9 million. Unless the level of immunization in preschool-aged children is increased, this type of epidemic will probably recur.

Although adolescents account for only 0.4% of reported cases of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the United States, they are sexually active and, therefore, at risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. To address issues of HIV control in adolescents, we developed guidelines that emphasize education and medical care and deemphasize antibody testing. For adolescents known to be infected with HIV, we recommend no restrictions on access to educational or treatment programs except when their health providers recommend such restrictions to protect them from exposure to opportunistic infections. For adolescents of unknown antibody status with a possible previous exposure to HIV, we recommend that as long as the incidence of HIV infection and clinical AIDS remains low, there should be no restrictions on residential placements and no routine antibody testing.