CDC's 50th anniversary -- July 1, 1996

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--CDC--traces its roots to an organization established in the southeastern United States during World War II to prevent malaria among personnel training on U.S. military bases. On July 1, 1996, CDC formally celebrates its 50th anniversary as a federal agency dedicated to ensuring the public's health through close cooperation with state and local health departments and with other organizations committed to improving health in the United States and throughout the world. To commemorate this anniversary, this issue of MMWR presents reports that offer special perspectives: a historical overview of CDC; national morbidity data from June 8, 1946, and June 22, 1996; reprints of articles published in CDC's earlier years--reports about an outbreak of smallpox and an outbreak of pentachlorophenol poisoning in newborn infants; and information resources about CDC. In addition, this issue reports the recent historic decision by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists to designate the prevalence of cigarette smoking as a notifiable condition for national public health surveillance. A "latebreaking" report summarizes the investigation of a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora (an emerging pathogen) infection and underscores the continuing need to address new public health threats. Subsequent issues of MMWR this year may include reprints of selected reports of historical interest."June 28, 1996."History of CDC -- Notifiable disease surveillance and notifiable disease statistics--United States, June 1946 and June 1996 -- Addition of prevalence of cigarette smoking as a nationally notifiable condition-- June 1996 -- Smallpox--Stockholm, Sweden, 1963 -- Pentachlorophenol poisoning in newborn infants--St. Louis, Missouri, 1967 -- Outbreaks of Cyclospora cayetanensis Infection--United States, 1996 -- Resources about CDC1996833