Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Cooperative Agreement Program
Funding Initiated In 1998

FY05 Funding July 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 - $240,547

Activities Proposed for FY 05

Antimicrobial Resistance, Food Safety, Hepatitis Prevention and Control, Influenza Surveillance and Response, National Electronic Disease Surveillance System, and West Nile Virus

Key Performance Indicators

Antimicrobial Resistance

• The MARC coordinator participated in 12 health fairs distributing AR materials targeted at medical professionals and parents.
• Press release packets were distributed to 35 eastern Montana newspapers.
• A continued patient education through provision of information and materials to offices and clinics.
• The MARC Coordinator will retain primary responsibility for assuring activities take place in fidelity with the plan.

Food Safety

• The Communicable Disease Program will continue to work collaboratively with the MPHL to ensure prompt follow-up of isolates of public health interest and to promote the availability of appropriate testing.
• MTPHL will continue to submit to CDC for antimicrobial susceptibility testing every 20th Salmonella isolate, every 20th Shigella isolate, every 20th E. coli O157 isolate, every S. typhi, every Listeria and every Vibrio isolate solicited and received.

Hepatitis Prevention and Control

• Plans for testing call for at least 1000 clients seen in the public HIV/STD Counseling and Testing sites to receive counseling and screening for HCV antibody.
• The hepatitis C coordinator will work with the hepatitis B coordinator and HIV/STD Program staff at the state to develop the bi-annual summer education conference for the professional medical community, the counselors, and interested public.

Influenza Surveillance and Response

• MTPHL maintains the capability of influenza culture, typing and sub-typing year round, and proposes to continue this practice.
• Influenza surveillance will continue to be reported to CDC year round.

National Electronic Disease Surveillance System

• Effectiveness will be measured through the enhancement of notifiable condition surveillance and disease control capabilities.

West Nile Virus

• Providing staff expertise in entomology and advice regarding mosquito control
• Arbonet reporting will continue according to this structure for the duration of the WNV surveillance project, or as directed by the CDC.

Contact Information and Links

Todd Damrow, MD
State Epidemiologist
Montana Department of Health
1400 Broadway, Room 314B
Helena, MT 59620

Department of Public Health and Human Services: http://www.dphhs.state.mt.us/