scholarly journals Implementing Mandatory Testing and a Public Health Commitment to Control COVID-19 on a College Campus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy Liu ◽  
Amita Vyas ◽  
Amanda D Castel ◽  
Karen A McDonnell ◽  
Lynn R Goldman
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
College Campus ◽  
Surveillance Program ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
George Washington ◽  
Behavioral Measures ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Infectious Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Daily Risk

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted US colleges and universities. As The George Washington University (GWU), a large urban university, prepared to reopen for the Fall 2020 semester, GWU established protocols to protect the health and wellness of all members of campus community. Reopening efforts included a cadre of COVID-19 surveillance systems including development of a public health COVID-19 laboratory, weekly and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 testing and daily risk screening and symptom monitoring. Other activities included completion of a mandatory COVID-19 training and influenza vaccination for the on-campus population, quarantining of students returning to campus, campus-focused case investigations and quarantining of suspected close contacts, clinical follow-up of infected persons, and regular communication and monitoring. A smaller on-campus population of 4,435 students, faculty and staff returned to campus with later expansion of testing to accommodate GWU students living in the surrounding area. Between August 17 and December 4, 2020, 38,288 tests were performed; 220 were positive. The surveillance program demonstrated a relatively low positivity rate, with temporal clustering of infected persons mirroring community spread, and little evidence for transmission among the GWU on-campus population. These efforts demonstrate the feasibility of safely partially reopening a large urban college campus by applying core principles of public health surveillance, infectious disease epidemiology, behavioral measures, and increased testing capacity, while continuing to promote educational and research opportunities. GWU will continue to monitor the program as the pandemic evolves and periodically reassess to determine if these strategies will be successful upon a full return to in-person learning.

scholarly journals Delay between Discharge and Admit Time Delay in ADT-A03 messages via LEEDS

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Serrano
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Syndromic Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Hospital Emergency ◽  
Timely Manner ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Infectious Disease Epidemiology ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Disease Specific

ObjectiveTo explore the difference between the reported date of admissionand discharge date using discharge messages (A03), from hospitalemergency departments participating in the Louisiana Early EventDetection System (LEEDS.IntroductionThe Infectious Disease Epidemiology Section (IDEpi) within theOffice of Public Health (LaOPH) conducts syndromic surveillanceof emergency departments by means of the Louisiana Early EventDetection System (LEEDS). LEEDS accepts ADT (admit-discharge-transfer) messages from participating hospitals, predominately A04(registration) and A03 (discharge), to obtain symptom or syndromeinformation on patients reporting to hospital emergency departments.Capturing the data using discharge messages (A03) only could resultin a delay in receipt of data by LaOPH, considering the variability inthe length of stay of a patient in the ED.MethodsEmergency department data from participating hospitals isimported daily to LEEDS and processed for syndrome classification.IDEpi syndromic surveillance messages received for the period ofCDC week 1632 and 1636 (8/8/16-9/8/16) using MS Access andExcel to calculate the difference (in days) between the reported admitdate and discharge date in A03 messages.Results88.1% of the A03 messages submitted in the 4 week analysisperiod exhibited no delay (delay=0 days) between the admit date andthe reported discharge date, compared to only 10.7% showing a delayof one day (delay = 1 day) and 1.06% showing a delay of 2 days ormore (delay≥2 days). Less than 0.2% of the messages had missinginformation regarding discharge date (Table 1).ConclusionsSyndromic surveillance systems operate under a constant need forimprovement and enhancement. The quality of the data, independentof the quality of the system, should always strive to be of the highestpedigree in order to inform disease-specific programs and detectpublic health aberrations. In order to identify these potential concerns,it is imperative that the data be submitted to public health agenciesin a timely manner. Based on this analysis, the lapse in time betweenadmit and discharge results in little to no patient syndromic data delayfor those hospital ED’s that exclusively send A03 messages. Thisstatement is supported by the finding that close to 99% of messagesdemonstrated a delay between admit date and discharge date of oneday or less.Table 1. Delay between reported Admit and Discharge date in A03 messagessubmitted to LEEDS

scholarly journals The Centennial of the Department of Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: A Century of Epidemiologic Discovery and Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 188 (12) ◽  
pp. 2043-2048
Author(s):  
David D Celentano ◽  
Elizabeth Platz ◽  
Shruti H Mehta
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Immune Deficiency Syndrome ◽  
Deficiency Syndrome ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Epidemiologic Transition ◽  
Disease Etiology ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Infectious Disease Epidemiology ◽  
New Methods

Abstract The Department of Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health was founded in 1919, with Wade Hampton Frost as inaugural chair. In our Centennial Year, we review how our research and educational programs have changed. Early years focused on doctoral education in epidemiology and some limited undergraduate training for practice. Foundational work on concepts and methods linked to the infectious diseases of the day made major contributions to study designs and analytical methodologies, largely still in use. With the epidemiologic transition from infectious to chronic disease, new methods were developed. The Department of Chronic Diseases merged with the Department of Epidemiology in 1970, under the leadership of Abraham Lilienfeld. Leon Gordis became chair in 1975, and multiple educational tracks were developed. Genetic epidemiology began in 1979, followed by advances in infectious disease epidemiology spurred by the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome epidemic. Collaborations with the Department of Medicine led to development of the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research in 1989. Between 1994 and 2008, the department experienced rapid growth in faculty and students. A new methods curriculum was instituted for upper-level epidemiologic training in 2006. Today’s research projects are increasingly collaborative, taking advantage of new technologies and methods of data collection, responding to “big data” analysis challenges. In our second century, the department continues to address issues of disease etiology and epidemiologic practice.

Lessons Learnt From Exercise Celestial Navigation: The Application of a Geographic Information System to Inform Legionnaires’ Disease Control Activity

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (02) ◽  
pp. 372-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Quinn ◽  
Kai Hsiao ◽  
George Truman ◽  
Nectarios Rose ◽  
Richard Broome
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Field Investigation ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Control Activity ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Infectious Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Legionnaires Disease

AbstractGeographic information systems (GIS) have emerged in the past few decades as a technology capable of assisting in the control of infectious disease outbreaks. A Legionnaires’ disease cluster investigation in May 2016 in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia, demonstrated the importance of using GIS to identify at-risk water sources in real-time for field investigation to help control any immediate environmental health risk, as well as the need for more staff trained in the use of this technology. Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit (PHU) subsequently ran an exercise (based on this investigation) with 11 staff members from 4 PHUs across Sydney to further test staff capability to use GIS across NSW. At least 80% of exercise participants reported that the scenario progression was realistic, assigned tasks were clear, and sufficient data were provided to complete tasks. The exercise highlighted the multitude of geocoding applications and need for inter-operability of systems, as well as the need for trained staff with specific expertise in spatial analysis to help assist in outbreak control activity across NSW. Evaluation data demonstrated the need for a common GIS, regular education and training, and guidelines to support the collaborative use of GIS for infectious disease epidemiology in NSW. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:372–374)

scholarly journals The Fifth International Neonatal and Maternal Immunization Symposium (INMIS 2019): Securing Protection for the Next Generation

mSphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manish Sadarangani ◽  
Tobias Kollmann ◽  
Gordean Bjornson ◽  
Paul Heath ◽  
Ed Clarke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Scientific Progress ◽  
Neonatal Infection ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Infectious Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Maternal Immunization ◽  
Development Goals

ABSTRACT Despite significant progress in reaching some milestones of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, neonatal and early infant morbidity and mortality remain high, and maternal health remains suboptimal in many countries. Novel and improved preventative strategies with the potential to benefit pregnant women and their infants are needed, with maternal and neonatal immunization representing effective approaches. Experts from immunology, vaccinology, infectious diseases, clinicians, industry, public health, and vaccine-related social sciences convened at the 5th International Neonatal and Maternal Immunization Symposium (INMIS) in Vancouver, Canada, from 15 to 17 September 2019. We critically evaluated the lessons learned from recent clinical studies, presented cutting-edge scientific progress in maternal and neonatal immunology and vaccine development, and discussed maternal and neonatal immunization in the broader context of infectious disease epidemiology and public health. Focusing on practical aspects of research and implementation, we also discussed the safety, awareness, and perception of maternal immunization as an existing strategy to address the need to improve maternal and neonatal health worldwide. The symposium provided a comprehensive scientific and practical primer as well as an update for all those with an interest in maternal and neonatal infection, immunity, and vaccination. The summary presented here provides an update of the current status of progress in maternal and neonatal immunization.

scholarly journals PRECEPT: an evidence assessment framework for infectious disease epidemiology, prevention and control

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (40) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Harder ◽  
Anja Takla ◽  
Tim Eckmanns ◽  
Simon Ellis ◽  
Frode Forland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Assessment Development ◽  
Infectious Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Evidence Summary ◽  
Grade Methodology ◽  
And Control

Decisions in public health should be based on the best available evidence, reviewed and appraised using a rigorous and transparent methodology. The Project on a Framework for Rating Evidence in Public Health (PRECEPT) defined a methodology for evaluating and grading evidence in infectious disease epidemiology, prevention and control that takes different domains and question types into consideration. The methodology rates evidence in four domains: disease burden, risk factors, diagnostics and intervention. The framework guiding it has four steps going from overarching questions to an evidence statement. In step 1, approaches for identifying relevant key areas and developing specific questions to guide systematic evidence searches are described. In step 2, methodological guidance for conducting systematic reviews is provided; 15 study quality appraisal tools are proposed and an algorithm is given for matching a given study design with a tool. In step 3, a standardised evidence-grading scheme using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Working Group (GRADE) methodology is provided, whereby findings are documented in evidence profiles. Step 4 consists of preparing a narrative evidence summary. Users of this framework should be able to evaluate and grade scientific evidence from the four domains in a transparent and reproducible way.

scholarly journals SurvNet@RKI – a multistate electronic reporting system for communicable diseases

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 7-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Faensen ◽  
H Claus ◽  
J Benzler ◽  
A Ammon ◽  
T Pfoch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reporting System ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
National Agency ◽  
Case Definitions ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Infectious Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Electronic Reporting

In 2001 Germany implemented a new electronic reporting system for surveillance of notifiable infectious diseases (SurvNet@RKI). The system is currently being used in all 431 local health departments (LHD), the 16 state health departments (SHD) and the Robert Koch-Institut (RKI), the national agency for infectious disease epidemiology. The SurvNet@RKI software is written in MS Access 97 and Visual Basic and it supports MS Access as well as MS SQL Server database management systems as a back-end. The database is designed as a distributed, dynamic database for 73 reporting categories with more than 600 fields and about 7000 predefined entry values. An integrated version management system documents deletion, undeletion, completion and correction of cases at any time and entry level and allows reproduction of previously conducted queries. Integrated algorithms and help functions support data quality and the application of case definitions. RKI makes the system available to all LHDs and SHDs free of charge. RKI receives an average of 300 000 case reports and 6240 outbreak reports per year through this system. A public web-based query interface, SurvStat@RKI, assures extensive and timely publication of the data. During the 5 years that SurvNet@RKI has been running in all LHDs and SHDs in Germany it has coped well with a complex federal structure which makes this system particularly attractive to multinational surveillance networks. The system is currently being migrated to Microsoft C#/.NET and transport formats in XML. Based on our experiences, we provide recommendations for the design and implementation of national or international electronic surveillance systems.

scholarly journals Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 outbreak linked to imported minced beef, Norway, October – November 2005

2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (45) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Isakbaeva ◽  
B A Lindstedt ◽  
B Schimmer ◽  
T Vardund ◽  
T L Stavnes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Salmonella Typhimurium ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Reference Laboratory ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Infectious Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Minced Beef ◽  
Vntr Analysis

On 3 November 2005, four cases of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium DT 104 infections were notified to the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Department by the Reference Laboratory of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The four isolates had identical multilocus VNTR analysis

scholarly journals Neisseria gonorrhoeae Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance: Consolidated Guidance

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
The Caribbean

Prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatment are essential for the control and elimination of Neisseria gonorrhoeae as a public health problem. Currently, in Latin America and the Caribbean, treatment for gonorrhea infection is largely empiric and based on clinical diagnosis. In the Americas, the high burden of new N. gonorrhoeae infections (estimated at 11 million new cases a year), the complexity of the disease epidemiology, and in many countries the limited resources, make it difficult to fully understand the burden of disease and the burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in N. gonorrhoeae. PAHO has developed this document to facilitate the navigation of available guidance and recommendations for N. gonorrhoeae AMR surveillance by public health and health care professionals, at the national and subnational levels, involved in designing, implementing, and/or strengthening AMR surveillance of N. gonorrhoeae and overall surveillance of sexually transmitted infections. This document aims to consolidate guidance on AMR surveillance for N. gonorrhoeae from documents published by WHO and PAHO, and strives to assemble relevant information in a summarized manner to help countries in strengthening and/or developing AMR surveillance systems for N. gonorrhoeae.

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