An Economic Evaluation of PulseNet: A Network for Foodborne Disease Surveillance.

The PulseNet surveillance system is a molecular subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories designed to identify and facilitate investigation of foodborne illness outbreaks. This study estimates health and economic impacts associated with PulseNet. The staggered adoption of PulseNet across the states offers a natural experiment to evaluate its effectiveness, which is measured as reduction of reported illnesses due to improved information, enhanced industry accountability, and more-rapid recalls.

Evaluation of the impact of overseas pre-departure treatment for infection with intestinal parasites among Montagnard refugees migrating from Cambodia to North Carolina.

We evaluated the effectiveness of an overseas pre-departure regimen of five days of albendazole for presumptive treatment of intestinal parasites by examining stool specimens in treated and untreated Montagnard refugees after arrival in the United States. Among 815 refugees evaluated, fully treated refugees had a significantly lower prevalence of helminths (11 [1.4%] of 777), specifically hookworm and Ascaris lumbricoides, than untreated pregnant women (3 [20%] of 15) (P < 0.

Timeliness of enteric disease surveillance in 6 US states.

We reviewed timeline information for a sample of Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Campylobacter spp.

Rapid malaria screening and targeted treatment of United States-bound Montagnard refugees from Cambodia in 2002.

In 2002, a group of Montagnard refugees living in Cambodia was accepted for resettlement in the United States. Pre-departure malaria screening and targeted treatment was conducted to prevent morbidity, and minimize the potential for local malaria transmission post-arrival. We screened 902 of 906 refugees using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), microscopy, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis.

Capacity of state and territorial health agencies to prevent foodborne illness.

The capacity of state and territorial health departments to investigate foodborne diseases was assessed by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists from 2001 to 2002 with a self-administered, Web-based survey. Forty-eight health departments responded (47 states and 1 territory). The primary reason for not conducting more active case surveillance of enteric disease is lack of staff, while the primary reasons for not investigating foodborne disease outbreaks are limited staff and delayed notification of the outbreak.

Yellow fever vaccine. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2002.

This report updates CDC's recommendations for using yellow fever vaccine (CDC. Yellow Fever Vaccine: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices: MMWR 1990;39[No. RR-6]1-6).