The long-term objectives of thisproposal are to detect, investigate, control,and prevent emerginginfectiousdiseases. These will be accomplishedthroughan Emerging Infections Program createdwithinthe state public-health administrationin Oregon, which will 1) conductactive, public-healthdiseasesurveillance;2) conductapplied public-health epidemiologicand laboratoryactivities;and 3) implement andevaluate pilotprevention and intervention projects. Activitieswill be conductedin collaborationwith otherstate health departments and the federal Centers for Disease Controland Prevention.More specifically, active surveillancewill be conductedfor invasive infectionby bacterialpathogens,includinggroups A and B streptococci,Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseriameningitidis,and for methicillin-resistantStaphylococcusaureus; for entericand foodborne infectionscaused by various bacteria, viruses, and protozoa;for viral hepatitis;for respiratory illnesses,especiallypneumonia in healthcare workers and influenza causing hospitalizationof children; for unexplaineddeathsthat appear to be infectious;and for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Active surveillancewill include theidentificationof demographic groupsat high riskfor disease and trends in disease incidence. This program will conduct epidemiologic research to determine modifiable risk factors for diseases listed above and to evaluate the effectiveness of vaccine programs and other controlmeasures. It will expand public-healthcapacityfor investigationof outbreaksto identify means of transmissionof variouspathogens. It will expand public-healthlaboratory capacity for the identificationand molecular epidemiologicanalysisof bacterialand viral pathogens.
