Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Cooperative Agreement Program
Funding Initiated In 2000

FY05 Funding April 1, 2005 through March 31, 2006 - $916,958

Activities Proposed for FY 05

Antimicrobial Resistance, Food Safety, National Electronic Disease Surveillance System, West Nile Virus, and General Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity

Key Performance Indicators

Antimicrobial Resistance

• Attend Annual AR Meeting.

Food Safety

• A site-specific training program is researched, documented, and implemented by the end of the funding year. Training of staff participating in foodborne illness investigation will be conducted annually thereafter.

National Electronic Disease Surveillance System

• Expansion of connectivity to incorporate real time data exchange with selected hospitals (minimum of 15) within the funding year.
• Fully functional hospital, animal, school and daycare surveillance programs operational via web-based application.

West Nile Virus

• Annual surveillance data are utilized to target population with limited access to information that are at increased risk for serious disease.
• Provision of education workshop and seminars about WNV to the public and health care professionals.

General Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity

• Attendance at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases affords the opportunity to update public health knowledge in this area and improve public health strategies based on information provided.

Contact Information and Links

Raouf Arafat, MD, MPH
Chief, Bureau of Epidemiology
Houston Department of Health and Human Services
800 North Stadium Drive, 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77054

Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services (HCPHES): http://www.hd.co.harris.tx.us/