Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducts surveillance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among pregnant/postpartum patients. Patients are identified by multiple methods, including reporting of maternal hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status on the Newborn Metabolic Screening Form (NMSF) at the time of delivery. Health Department staff investigate reports received for HBV infection among pregnant/postpartum patients, including reports of positive HBsAg status on the NMSF, to confirm maternal HBV infection (ie, a confirmed case). We restricted this evaluation to confirmed cases that resulted in a live birth during January 2019 through June 2022 to patients with a residential address in New York City. We evaluated the utility of NMSF reports for (1) quality of demographic information, (2) the percentage of all confirmed cases that were recorded as HBsAg positive in the NMSF, (3) positive predictive value, and (4) timeliness. We received 6509 NMSF reports, of which 2575 indicated a positive HBsAg status, 1502 unknown, and 2432 missing. Among the HBsAg-positive NMSF reports, we matched 2196 to confirmed cases of HBV infection (positive predictive value, 85%). The 2196 confirmed cases with HBsAg-positive NMSF reports represented 77% of all 2864 confirmed cases of HBV infection. For 148 confirmed cases (5%), the HBsAg-positive NMSF report was the only source. Our evaluation demonstrates that the NMSF is an important supplementary reporting method for identifying pregnant/postpartum patients with HBV infection.

ABSTRACT Objectives Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) poses an occupational risk for poultry workers, responders, and others in contact with infected birds. The objective of this analysis was to describe HPAI surveillance methods and outcomes, and highlight the challenges, successes, and lessons learned during the Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH’s) public health response to HPAI outbreaks in Minnesota poultry flocks in the years 2015 and 2022–2023. Methods During both outbreaks, MDH staff attempted to contact all potentially exposed people and conduct a standardized interview. People were considered exposed and at risk if they had entered a barn with poultry on any HPAI test-positive premises. With their consent, exposed persons were entered into illness monitoring until 10 days from their last exposure. In 2015, MDH monitored the health of poultry workers only. In the 2022–2023 response, MDH monitored the health of poultry workers, backyard flock owners, responders, and private contract workers. In 2022–2023, interview responses were entered into a REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) database in real time, which automatically entered the person into monitoring if they consented. Through REDCap, they received an automated email with a unique link to a short survey asking about any symptom development. Where appropriate, interview responses from poultry workers collected in 2015 were compared to interview responses from poultry workers collected in 2022–2023. Results From March 3 to June 5, 2015, MDH epidemiologists interviewed and evaluated 375 (86%) of 435 poultry workers from 110 HPAI-infected flocks. From March 25, 2022 through December 31, 2023, MDH epidemiologists interviewed and evaluated 649 (65%) of 992 poultry workers, responders, contractors, and backyard flock owners associated with 151 HPAI-infected flocks. Among poultry workers, self-reported personal protective equipment (PPE) usage declined significantly from 2015 to 2022–2023 (full PPE usage 51.8% vs. 23.9%, p < .01). Conclusion MDH’s long standing relationships with animal health officials and the poultry industry resulted in strong poultry worker participation rates in surveillance efforts during HPAI outbreaks in 2015 and 2022–2023. Self-reported PPE usage was low, particularly in 2022–2023. Improvements in PPE accessibility and technology are needed to protect workers and responders in the on-going HPAI outbreak.

Background Between 2009 and 2019 opioid-involved fatal overdose rates increased by 45% and the average opioid dispensing rate in Wyoming was higher than the national average. The opioid crisis is shaped by a complex set of socioeconomic, geopolitical, and health-related variables. We conducted a vulnerability assessment to identify Wyoming counties at higher risk of opioid-related harm, factors associated with this risk, and areas in need of overdose treatment access to inform priority responses. Methods We compiled 2016 to 2018 county-level aggregated and de-identified data. We created risk maps and ran spatial analyses in a geographic information system to depict the spatial distribution of overdose-related measures. We used addresses of opioid treatment programs and buprenorphine providers to develop drive-time maps and ran 2-step floating catchment area analyses to measure accessibility to treatment. We used a straightforward and replicable weighted ranks approach to calculate final county vulnerability scores and rankings from most to least vulnerable. Findings We found Hot Springs, Carbon, Natrona, Fremont, and Sweetwater Counties to be most vulnerable to opioid-involved overdose fatalities. Opioid prescribing rates were highest in Hot Springs County (97 per 100 persons), almost two times the national average (51 per 100 persons). Statewide, there were over 90 buprenorphine-waivered providers, however accessibility to these clinicians was limited to urban centers. Most individuals lived further than a four-hour round-trip drive to the nearest methadone treatment program. Conclusions Identifying Wyoming counties with high opioid overdose vulnerabilities and limited access to overdose treatment can inform public health and harm reduction responses.

In 2021, during the COVID-19 response, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) conducted its seventh periodic Epidemiology Capacity Assessment (ECA), a national assessment that evaluates trends in applied epidemiology workforce size, funding, and epidemiology capacity at state health departments.* A standardized web-based questionnaire was sent to state epidemiologists in 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC). The questionnaire assessed the number of current and optimal epidemiologist positions; sources of epidemiology activity and personnel funding; and each health department's self-perceived capacity to lead activities, provide subject matter expertise, and obtain and manage resources for the three essential public health services (EPHS) most closely linked to epidemiology.† CSTE enumerated 4,136 epidemiology positions across the United States, with an additional 2,196 positions needed to provide basic public health services. From 2017 to 2021, the number of epidemiologists in state health departments increased 23%, an increase primarily accounted for by the number of those supporting the COVID-19 response§. The number of staff members decreased in program areas of infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and maternal and child health (MCH). Federal funding supports most epidemiology activities (85%) and epidemiology personnel (83%). Overall capacity to deliver the EPHS has declined, and epidemiology workforce and capacity needs remain unmet. More epidemiologists and sustainable funding are needed to consistently and effectively deliver EPHS. Additional resources (e.g., funding for competitive compensation and pathways for career advancement) are essential for recruitment and retention of epidemiologists to support public health activities across all program areas.

Between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials conducted 2 rapid queries to collect information from the field regarding the status of COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing (CI/CT) programs and practice. These short surveys were distributed to senior deputies in state and territorial health agencies, yielding a response rate of 45.8% (November 2020) and 40.7% (April 2021). Findings indicated that CI/CT staff roles and assigned functions varied across jurisdictions, as did staffing levels/capacity, approaches for linking individuals to social supports, and program changes that were planned or underway. Agency-reported staffing levels/capacity and programmatic challenges changed over time, highlighting the dynamic nature of CI/CT program practice and implementation. While findings from the surveys cannot be generalized to the national level, they provide critical insights from the field on CI/CT program implementation, challenges, and changes in response to the evolving COVID-19 epidemic in the United States.

Critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs) are one of the most common types of birth defects and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality along with surgical or catheter interventions within the first year of life. This report updates previously published estimates of CCHD prevalence with the latest population-based surveillance data from 19 birth defect surveillance programs. The U.S. population-based surveillance programs submitted data on identified cases of 12 CCHDs and co-occurring cardiovascular and chromosomal birth defects from 2014 to 2018. We estimated prevalence by program type and maternal and infant characteristics. Among nine programs with active case ascertainment that collect more than live births, we estimated the percentage of co-occurring cardiovascular and chromosomal birth defects for the 12 CCHDs. We identified 18,587 cases of CCHD among all participating programs. Overall CCHD prevalence was 19.6 per 10,000 live births among all 19 programs and 20.2 per 10,000 live births among active programs. Among maternal racial/ethnic groups, infants/fetuses born to American Indian/Alaska Native mothers showed the highest overall prevalence for all CCHDs (28.3 per 10,000) along with eight of the 12 individual CCHDs. Among 7,726 infants/fetuses with CCHD from active case ascertainment programs, 15.8% had at least one co-occurring chromosomal birth defect. Our study provides prevalence estimates for CCHDs by maternal and infant characteristics along with co-occurrence with cardiovascular and chromosomal birth defects among infants/fetuses with CCHD using one of the largest and most recent cohorts since the implementation of widespread CCHD screening. These data can provide a basis for future research to better understand risk factors for these defects.

To develop and validate a brief, structured, behavioral health module for use by local public health practitioners to rapidly assess behavioral health needs in disaster settings. Data were collected through in-person, telephone, and web-based interviews of 101 individuals affected by Hurricanes Katrina (n = 44) and Sandy (n = 57) in New Orleans and New Jersey in April and May 2018, respectively. Questions included in the core module were selected based on convergent validity, internal consistency reliability, test–retest reliability across administration modes, principal component analysis (PCA), question comprehension, efficiency, accessibility, and use in population-based surveys. Almost all scales showed excellent internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha, 0.79–0.92), convergent validity (r > 0.61), and test–retest reliability (in-person vs. telephone, intra-class coefficient, ICC, 0.75–1.00; in-person vs. web-based ICC, 0.73–0.97). PCA of the behavioral health scales yielded two components to include in the module—mental health and substance use. The core module has 26 questions—including self-reported general health (1 question); symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety (Primary Care PTSD Screen, Patient Health Questionnaire-4; 8 questions); drinking and other substance use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Concise, AUDIT-C; Drug Abuse Screening Test, DAST-10; stand-alone question regarding increased substance use since disaster; 14 questions); prior mental health conditions, treatment, and treatment disruption (3 questions)—and can be administered in 5–10 minutes through any mode. This flexible module allows practitioners to quickly evaluate behavioral health needs, effectively allocate resources, and appropriately target interventions to help promote recovery of disaster-affected communities.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10900-021-00966-5.

BackgroundCarbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are a growing threat globally. Many CRE organisms carry plasmids that produce a carbapenemase enzyme (CP-CRE). Early detection of CP-CRE and aggressive infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are necessary to reduce transmission of resistant organisms and their plasmids. Many hospital laboratories do not test CRE for carbapenemase production. In Apr ‘18, the Philadelphia Department for Public Health (PDPH) established mandatory CRE reporting including isolate submission for mechanism testing at public health laboratories.MethodsWe analyzed trends of carbapenem resistance in CP and non-CP-CRE. We calculated sensitivity (Sen), specificity (Spe), positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) at each level of carbapenem resistance to develop a predictive model with goal of effectively discriminating CP and non-CP CRE. ROC curves were plotted.ResultsFrom June,’18-Feb,’20, 351 CRE had genetic mechanism testing. 192 (54.7%) were Klebsiella pneumoniae, 53 (15.1%) were Enterobacter cloacae, 52 (14.8%) were E. coli, and the remaining 54 (15.4%) other Enterobacteriaceae.186 (53.0%) had a recorded minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for ertapenem, 191 (54.4%) for meropenem, 116 (33.0%) for imipenem, and 9 (2.6%) for doripenem. Doripenem was not further analyzed. The odds of being CP-CRE increased with increasing MIC. One standard dilution increase in MIC was associated with the following odds ratios (OR) of being CP-CRE: ertapenem OR 1.43 (95% CI: 1.11–1.83), imipenem OR 2.52 (95% CI: 1.7–3.793), meropenem, OR 2.20 (95% CI: 1.72–2.81). For each carbapenem, we calculated Sen, Spe, PPV, and NPV values for five MIC cut points; 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 ug/ml, non-CP CRE defined as ≤ MIC cut point, CP-CRE defined as > cut point.Figure 1. ROC CurvesTable 1. Sensitivity, Specificity, PPV, NPV of MIC Cut PointsConclusionThere were no MIC cut points that performed well in both Sen and Spe, however, for the purposes of IPC, correctly classifying CP CRE (Sen) is more important than correctly classifying non-CP CRE (Spe). MIC cut points that performed best were imipenem MIC of 1 ug/ml and meropenem MIC of 1 ug/ml, with Sen 98%, 94% respectively, PPV 85%, 84% respectively and NPV 88%, 76% respectively. When further testing is not available, MIC cut points may be used to infer CP production.DisclosuresAll Authors: No reported disclosures