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Although cases of acute HAV have declined in recent years, elevated numbers of HAV infections began to be reported by California and Michigan in the fall of 2016.1,2 Since this time, associated outbreaks have been reported in 9 additional states (Arizona, Utah, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, and West Virginia).3 No common source of food, beverages or drugs have been identified and transmission appears to be primarily person-to-person with high-risk individuals including people experiencing homelessness, those who use illicit drugs and their close direct contacts. In June 2018, CDC issued a Health Alert Network Advisory providing additional guidance on identification and prevention of HAV and updates on the outbreaks.4 This prompted our office to more closely review our HAV surveillance, to identify Veterans who may be part of these outbreaks, and assess risk factors and outcomes of HAV infection.

Objective: To conduct surveillance for acute Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections in Veterans from states reporting outbreaks among high-risk individuals beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2017.

Submitted by elamb on

Since hepatitis A vaccination became widely recommended in the US in the mid-1990's, rates of acute hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection have steadily declined, however, since 2011, incidence of new cases of HAV appears to be increasing1, often linked with foodborne outbreaks and socio-economic trends such as homelessness and substance abuse.2 In 2016, the CDC reported vaccination coverage among adults aged > 19 was 9.5%, 19-49 was 13.4%, and > 50 was 5.4%3. CDC issued a Health Alert Network Advisory in June 2018 with additional guidance on identification and prevention of HAV and updates on outbreaks in multiple states4 which prompted our program to conduct a more formal review of HAV infections in VHA. Herein we describe recent trends in HAV infection, vaccination and associated risk factors among Veterans.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of hepatitis A virus (HAV) within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Submitted by elamb on

On 20 April 2010, an explosion on an offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico led to a prolonged uncontrolled release of crude oil. Both clean-up workers and coastal residents were potentially at high risk for respiratory and other acute health effects from exposure to crude oil and its derivatives, yet there was no surveillance system available to monitor these health effects. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) conducts routine surveillance for biological threats using the Electronic Surveillance System for Early Notification of Community Based Epidemics (ESSENCE). ESSENCE captures specific patient care visit ICD-nine codes belonging to selected conditions that could represent a biological threat. VA operates 153 medical centers and over 1000 free standing patient care facilities across the United States. We describe the adaptation of ESSENCE to allow surveillance of health conditions potentially related to the oil spill.

 

Objective

To describe a surveillance system created to identify acute health issues potentially associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill among Veterans in the Gulf of Mexico coastal region.

Referenced File
Submitted by hparton on

Influenza is associated with significant morbidity and mortality nationally each year and VA's large elderly population is at particular risk. VA Office of Public Health (OPH) has monitored influenza and influenza-like-illness (ILI) activity using the VA's biosurveillance system since 2009 (1,2). VA influenza surveillance capacity has expanded significantly in recent years to include inpatient influenza data, telephone triage data, laboratory testing data and enhanced geospatial mapping capabilities.

Objective

Herein we summarize our ongoing influenza surveillance activities and describe the 2012-2013 influenza season activity in VA.

Submitted by knowledge_repo… on
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