Disease Surveillance

Since the release of anthrax in October of 2001, there has been increased interest in developing efficient prospective disease surveillance schemes. Poisson CUSUM is a control chart-based method that has been widely used to detect aberrations in disease counts in a single region collected over fixed time intervals. Over the past few years, different methods have been proposed to extend Poisson CUSUM charts to capture the spatial association among several regions simultaneously. In the proposed method, we extend an algorithm in industrial process control using multiple Poisson CUSUM charts to the spatial setting. The spatial association among regions is captured using the method proposed by Raubertas, which has been successfully applied in several prospective surveillance schemes. Also, to improve the power of the traditional multiple Poisson CUSUM charts, Poisson CUSUM charts were used along with fault discovery rate (FDR) control techniques.

Objective

To develop a computationally simple and fast algorithm for rapid detection of outbreaks producing easily interpretable results.

Traditional surveillance systems only capture a fraction of the estimated 48 million yearly cases of foodborne illness in the United States due to few affected individuals seeking medical care and lack of reporting to appropriate authorities. Non-traditional disease surveillance approaches could be used to supplement foodborne illness surveillance systems.

Objective

We assessed whether foodservice reviews on Yelp.com (a business review site) can be used to support foodborne illness surveillance efforts.

The NNDSS is a nationwide collaboration that enables all levels of public health (local, state, territorial, federal and international) to monitor, control, and prevent the occurrence and spread of state-reportable and nationally notifiable diseases and conditions. The NNDSS data are a critical source of information for monitoring disease trends, effectiveness of prevention and control programs, and policy development. To provide timely NNDSS data, state and territorial health departments voluntarily report notifiable disease incidence data to CDC when they become aware of these cases and as per recommended national notification timeframes. These provisional data are published each week in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Great strides have been made exploring and exploiting new and different sources of disease surveillance data and developing robust statistical methods for analyzing the collected data. However, there have been fewer efforts in the area of online dissemination of surveillance data. Appropriate dissemination of surveillance data is important to maximize the utility of collected data.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to identify ideas for an enhanced dissemination of the US National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) provisional data.

The occurrence of global polio is at its lowest level, yet the goal of eradication remains elusive with the ongoing circulation in the three remaining endemic countries. Developed countries have a low index of suspicion for polio – relying on astute clinicians to detect imported cases and high immunisation rates to prevent community outbreaks. Australia, like all polio-free countries, remains at risk of a polio importation until polio is eradicated globally. Gaps in routine immunisation coverage coupled with weaknesses in surveillance may put developed countries, such as Australia, at risk of high impact polio outbreaks.

Objective

Few countries have tested the sensitivity of their polio surveillance systems, undertaken a comprehensive risk assessment or questioned whether existing polio surveillance strategies are the optimal surveillance at this stage of the global eradication initiative. To address this issue, a risk assessment and review of Australia’s polio surveillance systems were undertaken to assess the potential risk of polio introduction by an infected person, product or specimen.

Historically, patients with TB have often been diagnosed late or after death. This delay in diagnosis often occurs because TB is misdiagnosed as an alternative respiratory illness (RI), such as pneumonia . TB infected patients that are not correctly diagnosed when initial symptoms occur may spread infection to others in both healthcare settings and the community.

Objective

To estimate the potential number of Tuberculosis (TB) cases that occur in inpatient and emergency department settings that are missed, diagnosed as something else, go untreated and return to the community, prior to receiving a correct diagnosis of TB. We analyze inpatient and emergency department records from the state of California from 2005-2011.

All positive laboratory tests of reportable conditions on persons residing in New York State (NYS) are mandated to be sent to the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) via ECLRS. NYS, excluding New York City (NYC), receives over 100,000 ECLRS messages on general communicable diseases (CD) and hepatitis (HEP), not including Lyme disease and Influenza, annually. Although ECLRS is integrated with CDESS, the local health departments (LHD) need to review each lab report for proper initiation of a case investigation. Once the investigation is created, the LHD may need supportive evidence to create a reportable case or may dismiss it if evidence does not support the case definition.

Our goal is to follow all ECLRS records from official retrieval by the LHD through CDESS case creation, to ensure all cases are reported and are done so in a timely manner. Cases for diseases that are nationally notifiable are sent to CDC the following week for publication in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Timely reporting to CDC allows for more accurate description of disease occurrence, which is essential for public health planning and response.

Objective

Ensure all reportable communicable disease data coming through the Electronic Clinical Laboratory Reporting System (ECLRS) is reported to the Communicable Disease Electronic Surveillance System (CDESS) in a timely and complete manner.

Various serotypes of DF were frequently reported in different regions of Pakistan on smaller scale. However, the worst dengue outbreak in Pakistan was experienced in 2011 in Lahore which is a 2nd most popolous city of Pakistan and capital of province punjab. This epidemic erupted during the post monsoon season and claimed 301 lives in just 4 months. To address that health crisis, Government adopted a multipronged strategy with a robust dengue fever surveillance program in Punjab.

Objective

The objective of this abstract is to share the lessons learned from the dengue epidemic in Lahore, Pakistan in 2011 and development of a comprehensive electronic surveillance system for dengue prevention and management.

Public health surveillance practice is evolving rapidly. In the past decade we have witnessed the globalization of health threats, the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases, and an explosion of easily accessible new technologies. This fluid environment challenges the public health community, but also provides it with a unique and fertile environment to innovate and improve its practice. As surveillance is a core function of public health practice, public health practitioners need to be well equipped to achieve this function and address present and future public health challenges. We developed a five day training course that focused on the practical use of surveillance concepts and principles in public health. We are sharing findings on the development of the course and learner outcomes.

Objective

To enhance the knowledge and ability of public health practitioners to integrate and apply surveillance concepts, principles, and emerging tools into their practice.

In 2012, Louisiana’s case rate for congenital syphilis was 49.2 cases per 100,000 live births, the highest in the nation and over six times the national average1. In Louisiana, case investigations for infants perinatally exposed to syphilis are initiated through two primary methods: SHP may receive a positive syphilis test on an infant or a syphilis-infected woman may be contacted and identified by Partner Services during pregnancy. This identification process is similar to perinatal HIV surveillance in Louisiana with one major exception: for perinatal HIV surveillance an annual birth match is completed. Through this match women known to be HIV-infected are matched to women who gave birth during the previous year. Over 90% of perinatal HIV exposures are identified prior to this match, but the match ensures that Louisiana’s HIV surveillance system identifies all infants perinatally exposed to HIV.

Objective

To identify infants perinatally exposed to syphilis in Louisiana that were missed by routine surveillance activities and to ensure that all infants perinatally exposed to syphilis are investigated.

 

In 2012, Louisiana’s case rate for congenital syphilis was 49.2 cases per 100,000 live births, the highest in the nation and over six times the national average1. In Louisiana, case investigations for infants perinatally exposed to syphilis are initiated through two primary methods: SHP may receive a positive syphilis test on an infant or a syphilis-infected woman may be contacted and identified by Partner Services during pregnancy. This identification process is similar to perinatal HIV surveillance in Louisiana with one major exception: for perinatal HIV surveillance an annual birth match is completed. Through this match women known to be HIV-infected are matched to women who gave birth during the previous year. Over 90% of perinatal HIV exposures are identified prior to this match, but the match ensures that Louisiana’s HIV surveillance system identifies all infants perinatally exposed to HIV.

Objective

To identify infants perinatally exposed to syphilis in Louisiana that were missed by routine surveillance activities and to ensure that all infants perinatally exposed to syphilis are investigated.