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

FY05 Funding July 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 - $562,543

Activities Proposed for FY 05

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

Key Performance Indicators

Antimicrobial Resistance

• Measure of effectiveness for the campaign included survey of consumers, web statistics to determine search behavior, total number exposures for the media campaign and each component of the media campaign, and market saturation with the billboards.
• Tabular monthly summaries reporting by the laboratories for:
  1. Penicillin-intermediate (PISP) and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP)
  2. Vancomycin-intermediate (VIE) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterocci (VRE)
  3. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
  4. Vancomycin-intermediate (VISA) and Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA)

Food Safety

• Continuation of participation in NARMS.
• Successful integration of laboratory data onto NEDSS.
• Compliance with NARMS requirement for specimen submission.

Hepatitis Prevention and Control

• Evaluation of the Hepatitis C Prevention Program will be measured by the number of attendees at each of these functions, the number of new community contacts made, and the number of follow-up questions/phone calls received.

National Electronic Disease Surveillance System

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

West Nile Virus

• Arbonet reporting will continue according to this structure for the duration of the WNV surveillance project, or as directed by the CDC.
• The NHHSS will continue to promote and publicize WN activity for as long as proper funding is available.
• Data gathered through the surveillance system will continue to be analyzed, interpreted, and disseminated.

General Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity

• Evaluation for this objective will be accomplished by the Public Health Veterinarian's attendance at the national conference on rabies.

Contact Information and Links

Thomas J. Safranek, MD
State Epidemiologist
Nebraska Health & Human Services
301 Centennial Mall SO
Lincoln, NE 68509

Nebraska Health and Human Services System: http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/