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

FY05 Funding July 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 - $668,997

Activities Proposed for FY 05

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

Key Performance Indicators

Antimicrobial Resistance

• By Sept. 30, 2005, develop a survey to determine interest of clinical laboratory directors to participate in sentinel S. pneumoniae surveillance.
• By Dec. 30, 2005, mail the survey to the clinical laboratory directors.
• Compile and analyze all survey results received by March 30, 2006 and determine which laboratories are capable and willing to participate in sentinel surveillance.
• Random digit dialing telephone surveys of parents and adults showed significant improvement in knowledge of appropriate antibiotic use from 1999 to 2001.
• Members of the Public education/Web Advisory workgroup will assist with restructuring and enhancing the WARN Web site to provide all education materials, public relations information, policy statements, guidelines, presentation, and newsletter copy online.

Food Safety

• Post relevant illness clusters on the PulseNet WebBoard within 24 hours of receiving PFGE results from the WSLH.
• PFGE will be completed on 90 percent of E. coli and Salmonella Typhimurium isolates within seven and ten days, respectively, of receipt from the laboratory.
• Participate in regional PulseNet teleconferences in cooperation with the Michigan Area PulseNet Lab.
• One or two laboratory members will attend the annual PulseNet Update meeting.

Hepatitis Prevention and Control

• Prepare quarterly updates on HCV infection for the Wisconsin AIDS/HIV Update.
• We promote electronic reports of HBV and HCV in the state of Wisconsin.
• Oversee the operation sof the HCV surveillance system, including case report review, data entry and demographic information collection procedures conducted by hepatitis program staff.
• Analyze and report data on hepatitis vaccination and testing collected by the BRFSS survey.

Influenza Surveillance and Response

• Continue recruitment of additional clinicians, including physicians, APRN's and PA's in under represented areas of the state to participate in the WSCP, associated with the CDC Sentinel Provider Network.
• Maintain a year round minimum of 66 percent reporting by sentinel clinicians.
• Perform year round viral testing for influenza, including specimens from rapid testing sites and outbreaks.

National Electronic Disease Surveillance System

• By 6/30/06, develop plan for integrating WIR data with NBS and with SPHERE to provide vaccine information.
• Effectiveness will be measured through the enhancement of notifiable condition surveillance and disease control capabilities.

West Nile Virus

• On a year round basis, the WNVSC will continue to communicate with partners to ensure that all suspected cases of WNV and related arbovirus are reported.
• Human arboviral testing will continue at the WSL. In house PRNT will be available for confirmatory testing for the entire arboviral season.
• Positive arbovirus test results reported by private laboratories will be confirmed at the WSLH.

General Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity

• By June 30, 2006, the IBLS coordinator will maintain laboratory participation exceeding 80 percent of Wisconsin laboratories.
• The IBLS coordinator will work with laboratories and LHDs to encourage simultaneous public health reporting and laboratory isolate reporting.
• By June 30, 2006, record, process and archive all isolates received as part of the IBLS.
• Within two weeks after the end of each quarter of the contract year, all isolates received during the previous quarter will be processed, archived (frozen) and entered into the appropriate database.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

• Continue the review of death certificates.
• All newly reported cases will be investigated. Based on the estimated national incidence and on Wisconsin's post 1997 surveillance, it is estimated that approximately 5-7 confirmed/probable/possible cases will occur within the next year, with an equal number of reports found not meeting any case definition.

Contact Information and Links

Jeffrey P. Davis, MD
Chief Medical Officer
State Epidemiologist
Bureau of Communicable Diseases and Preparedness
Division of Public Health
1 W. Wilson St., Room 318
Madison, WI 53702

Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.dhfs.state.wi.us/