Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Cooperative Agreement Program
Funding Initiated In 1997

FY05 Funding July 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 - $772,089

Activities Proposed for FY 05

Antimicrobial Resistance, Food Safety, Hepatitis Prevention and Control, Influenza Surveillance and Response, Prion Diseases, West Nile Virus, and General Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity

Key Performance Indicators

Antimicrobial Resistance

• Provide molecular analysis of 800-900 isolates submitted from active surveillance sites.
• Achieve mandatory reporting of invasive DRSP and communicate to all laboratories in the state.
• Provide real time surveillance on emerging QRNG to CDC and BOE by molecular testing of at least 2500 NAATs found to be positive for GC in the regional laboratory testing system.

Food Safety

• Continue to utilize the Michigan Health Alert Network web based system for rapid exchange of information relating to outbreak situations or other unusual illness occurrences.
• Provide on-site consultation and assistance to local health departments as needed in the conduct of epidemiologic investigation when possible clusters of food related illness are detected.

Hepatitis Prevention and Control

• Hold planning meetings and draft and distribute strategic plans through shared documentation.

Influenza Surveillance and Response

• Conduct year round active surveillance for influenza like illness through the Influenza Sentinel Physician Surveillance Network (SPSN).
• Work with the MDCH Office of Public Health Preparedness to expand and update contact information for relevant healthcare professionals throughout the State of Michigan.
• Since December 2003, the ELC Program has coordinated weekly standing meetings during influenza season with key departmental representatives within MDCH.

Prion Diseases

• The addition of all spongiform encephalopathies to the Michigan reportable disease list is expected to improve the accuracy of the 2005 CJD case counts.

West Nile Virus

• Data from avian, equine, domestic and zoo animals used as an indicator for human, equine, and zoo animal risk.
• Positive human cases will serve as indicator for the trends in WNV prevalence.

General Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity

• Expand the multi-disciplined workgroup of state and local experts to discuss and identify areas where training is most needed to strengthen core competencies.
• Create and disseminate Guidelines for the Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection of Norovirus.
• Expand the ELC Workgroup to include all aspects of local public health officials, i.e., nurses, sanitarians, health officers, emergency coordinators, and medical directors.
• Participate in long term planning of the MDSS.

Contact Information and Links

Mary Grace Stobierski, DVM, MPH
Manager, Infectious Disease Epidemiology Section/State Public Health Veterinarian
Division of Communicable Disease
Bureau of Epidemiology
Michigan Department of Community Health
201 Townsend
5th Floor
Lansing, MI 48913

Michigan Department of Community Health: http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/