An Evaluation of Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) in North Carolina, 2003-2010.

INTRODUCTION: Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) is a group of tools and methods designed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide rapid, reliable, and accurate population-based public health information. Since 2003, North Carolina public health professionals have used CASPERs to facilitate public health emergency responses and gather information on other topics including routine community health assessments. PROBLEM: To date, there has been no evaluation of CASPER use by public health agencies at the state or local level in the US. METHODS: Local health departments of North Carolina reported when and how CASPERs were used during the period 2003 to 2010 via an online survey. Data on barriers and future plans for using CASPERs also were collected. RESULTS: Fifty-two of North Carolina's 85 local health departments (61%) completed the survey. Twenty-eight departments reported 46 instances of CASPER use during 2003 to 2010. The majority of CASPERs were performed for community health assessments (n = 20, 43%) or exercises (n = 11, 24%). Fifty-six percent of respondents indicated they were "likely" or "very likely" to use CASPERs in the future; those who had prior experience with CASPERs were significantly more likely (P = .02) to report planned future use of CASPERs compared to those without prior experience with the tool. Lack of training, equipment, and time were the most frequently reported barriers to using CASPERs. CONCLUSIONS: Local public health agencies with clear objectives and goals can effectively use CASPERs in both routine public health practice and disaster settings.

Cryptosporidium parvum outbreak associated with Raccoons at a Wildlife Facility-Virginia, May-June 2019.

Cryptosporidium parvum is a parasitic zoonotic pathogen responsible for diarrheal illness in humans and animals worldwide. We report an investigation of a cryptosporidiosis outbreak in raccoons and wildlife rehabilitation workers at a Virginia facility. Fifteen (31%) of 49 facility personnel experienced symptoms meeting the case definition, including four laboratory-confirmed cases. Seven juvenile raccoons were reported to have diarrhoea; six had laboratory-confirmed cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidium parvum of the same molecular subtype (IIaA16G3R2) was identified in two human cases and six raccoons. Raccoon illness preceded human illness by 11 days, suggesting possible zoonotic transmission from raccoons to humans. This appears to be the first report of a human cryptosporidiosis outbreak associated with exposure to raccoons infected with C. parvum. Raccoons might be an under-recognized reservoir for human C. parvum infections. Further study is needed to explore the prevalence of cryptosporidial species in raccoons and their role as a wildlife reservoir.

Review of the UNC Team Epi-Aid graduate student epidemiology response program six years after implementation.

Service learning is one way that academia can contribute to assuring the public's health. The University of North Carolina's Team Epi-Aid service-learning program started in 2003. Since then, 145 graduate student volunteers have contributed 4,275 hours working with the state and local health departments during 57 activities, including outbreak investigations, community health assessments, and emergency preparedness and response. Survey data from student participants and public health partners indicates that the program is successful in meeting its goal of creating effective partnerships among the university, the North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness, and state and local health departments; supplying needed surge capacity to health departments; and providing students with applied public health experience and training. In this article, we discuss the programmatic lessons learned around administration, maintaining student interest, program sustainability, and challenges since program implementation.

An academic/government partnership to provide technical assistance with pandemic influenza planning to local health departments in North Carolina.

In 2006, the North Carolina Division of Public Health (NC DPH) required all 85 local health departments (LHDs) in North Carolina to develop a pandemic influenza plan. Because few LHDs had experience in developing such plans, NC DPH engaged in a unique partnership with an academic center, the North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness (NCCPHP), to provide technical assistance to local planners. This article describes the technical assistance program implemented by NCCPHP, the use of technical assistance by local planners, subsequent completeness of local pandemic influenza plans, and lessons learned throughout the program. We discuss selected topic areas (surveillance, vaccine/antiviral, and vulnerable populations) observed within local pandemic influenza plans to highlight the variability in planning approaches and identify potential opportunities for state and local standardization.

Integration of syndromic surveillance data into public health practice at state and local levels in North Carolina.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to describe the integration of syndromic surveillance data into daily surveillance practice at local health departments (LHDs) and make recommendations for the effective integration of syndromic and reportable disease data for public health use. METHODS: Structured interviews were conducted with local health directors and communicable disease nursing staff from a stratified random sample of LHDs from May through September 2009. Interviews captured information on direct access to the North Carolina syndromic surveillance system and on the use of syndromic surveillance information for outbreak management, program management, and the creation of reports. We analyzed syndromic surveillance system data to assess the number of signals resulting in a public health response. RESULTS: Syndromic surveillance data were used for outbreak investigation (19% of respondents) and program management and report writing (43% of respondents); a minority reported use of both syndromic and reportable disease data for these purposes (15% and 23%, respectively). Receiving data from frequent system users was associated with using data for these purposes (p=0.016 and p=0.033, respectively, for syndromic and reportable disease data). A small proportion of signals (<25%) resulted in a public health response. CONCLUSIONS: Use of syndromic surveillance data by North Carolina local public health authorities resulted in meaningful public health action, including both case investigation and program management. While useful, the syndromic surveillance data system was oriented toward sensitivity rather than efficiency. Successful incorporation of new surveillance data is likely to require systems that are oriented toward efficiency.