BEAM Dashboard FAQs: Bacteria, Enterics, Amoeba, and Mycotics Data
What is the BEAM Dashboard?
The BEAM (Bacteria, Enterics, Amoeba, and Mycotics) Dashboard is an interactive tool to access and visualize data from the System for Enteric Disease Response, Investigation, and Coordination (SEDRIC). CDC uses SEDRIC to coordinate surveillance and response to disease outbreaks linked to food or animal contact, including data integration. The first version of the dashboard focuses on data for Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), Shigella and Campylobacter bacteria isolated from human specimens, such as stool or blood. It will eventually include additional pathogens, antimicrobial resistance data, and epidemiologic data from outbreak investigations.
How can I use this information?
This information provides the public, academia, industry, public health partners and regulatory agencies with timely data on pathogen trends and serotype details to inform work to prevent illnesses from food, water, the environment, and animal contact.
What are the data sources?
SEDRIC integrates data from multiple sources, including PulseNet, the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System for Enteric Bacteria (NARMS), the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS), and Epi Info, as well as investigation data from epidemiologists, environmental health partners, and state and federal regulatory agencies. The current dashboard uses PulseNet data, and we will integrate other data sources in upcoming versions.
How frequently does CDC update the dashboard?
We update the dashboard monthly. We plan to increase the frequency to near real-time.
Can I filter data in the dashboard?
You can filter data using the filter pane in the dashboard. To select a year or Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) region, click on the relevant filter. To select multiple years or regions, press and hold the Ctrl (PC) or Cmd (Mac) key on your keyboard while clicking on the filter. Additionally, you can select a variable in one of the other interactive visuals to filter data based on that variable. For example, if you select “April” in “Number of Isolates by Month,” the other visuals show data for April only. Hovering over any state in the map (New Outbreaks by State) will provide pop-up isolate data for that state.
What is an HHS region?
The Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs hosts 10 regional offices that directly serve state and local organizations. The regional directors ensure that HHS maintains close contact with state, local, and tribal partners and addresses the needs of communities and individuals served through HHS programs and policies.
What is an outbreak?
When two or more people get the same illness from the same contaminated food or drink, the event is called a foodborne disease outbreak. Similarly, when two or more people get the same illness from contact with the same animal or animal environment, the event is called a zoonotic outbreak.
What is an isolate?
A bacterial isolate is a group of the same type of bacteria. In public health surveillance systems, an isolate can come from a patient’s clinical sample or from the environment, a food, or animal. Scientists use a standardized laboratory and data analysis method called whole genome sequencing to get detailed information about the bacterium, including whether it is closely related genetically to other bacteria.
What is a serotype?
Serotypes are groups within a single species of microorganisms, such as bacteria or viruses, which share distinctive surface structures. Salmonella has many serotypes. Some can cause especially severe illnesses when they infect people, while others cause milder illnesses.
What is the quarterly report?
The quarterly report compares isolate data for the top 15 most common serotypes during the selected quarter with the average during the same quarter in the previous two years. You can filter data by selecting the quarter from the quarter filter.
How can I view data behind the visualizations?
To view tabular data, right click on any visualization and select “Show as a table.”
Can I download BEAM Dashboard data?
Yes, click on the download links below to download BEAM dashboard datasets.
BEAM Dashboard – Isolates by HHS Region
BEAM Dashboard – Top 30 Most Common Serotypes
What is the proper citation to reference BEAM Dashboard?
Suggested Citation for BEAM Dashboard:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). BEAM (Bacteria, Enterics, Amoeba, and Mycotics) Dashboard. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dfwed/BEAM-dashboard.html. Accessed MM/DD/YYYY.