H1N1/GBS Information for EIP States
Do You Practice in an Emerging Infections Program State?
The CDC's Emerging Infections Program (EIP) is a partnership of state and local health departments, academic centers, and CDC dedicated to performing surveillance and public health research related to emerging infections and vaccine preventable infections.
To aid the CDC in evaluating the safety of the novel H1N1 vaccine, CDC's EIP and the AAN have asked neurologists, hospitalists, emergency medical physicians, and other health care professionals in 10 states (CT, MD, MN, NM, TN, CA, and selected regions of CO, GA, NY, and OR) to practice increased vigilance with their patients and to report any possible new cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), regardless of vaccination to their state's surveillance officer.
Your active involvement is extremely important.
The request for heightened GBS surveillance in these states is a strategy for increased detection. Visit the AAN's online resource page for general information on the surveillance campaign.
Select your state below to go directly to participating EIP resources.
California Connecticut Maryland Minnesota New Mexico New York Colorado Oregon Georgia Tennessee
California EIP Resource Sheet
California: Neurologists should report GBS cases identified from October 1, 2009, to September 30, 2010, to the appropriate surveillance site, depending on the patient's county of residence. Contact information:
- LA County residents—Report to LA County Department of Public Health; Dr. Caitlin Reed by phone (213) 240-7941 or by email careed@ph.lacounty.gov.
Los Angeles GBS Case Reporting Form; GBS has been made a legally reportable disease in LA County for one year, October 1, 2009–Sept 30, 2010. - San Francisco, Contra Costa, or Alameda County residents—Report to the California Emerging Infections Program; Pam Daily by phone (510) 625-7970 or by email pdaily@ceip.us or by fax (510) 451-3210.
- Residents of all other counties—Report to California Department of Public Health: Cynthia Jean Yen, by phone (510) 307-8606, email GBSReport@cdph.ca.gov, or by fax (916) 440-5969.
Colorado EIP Resource Sheet
Colorado: Physicians in the Denver metro area (Denver, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas Counties) are asked to report ALL new cases of GBS (suspect or confirmed) to Christa Hale, the GBS Surveillance Coordinator for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Contact information:
Christa R. Hale, DVM, MPH, DACVPM
LCDR, United States Public Health Service
Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246
Phone: 303-692-2745
Fax: 303-782-0338
christa.hale@state.co.us
Connecticut EIP Resource Sheet
Connecticut: Effective October 2009, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) was added to the list of diseases reportable to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Read a related story from the October 2009 issue of Connecticut Epidemiologist.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health is asking neurologists to keep a weekly log of all patients with a potential diagnosis of GBS. EIP staff should have contacted you or your office during the week of October 19, 2009, via email to inquire about possible new GBS cases for the previous week (i.e., October 12–18). They plan to continue surveillance in this fashion on a weekly basis through May 2010.
A brief, downloadable report form will accompany the email, which can be faxed to the Department of Public Health. Faxing this form will be sufficient to meet all state reporting requirements. EIP staff will conduct all additional follow-up to determine influenza vaccination status and collect necessary clinical information.
Georgia EIP Resource Sheet
Georgia: Physicians in the Atlanta metro area (Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale Counties) are asked to report ALL new cases of GBS to their surveillance officer, Kyle Openo. Contact information:
Kyle Openo, MPH
Surveillance Officer
Phone: (404) 321-6111 ext. 2530
kopeno@learnlink.emory.edu
Maryland EIP Resource Sheet
Maryland: The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene requests that physicians in Maryland immediately report all cases of GBS diagnosed in Maryland residents beginning October 1, 2009. Please designate one point of contact per practice or institution to interface with the Maryland DHMH. The point of contact will be the person to report any new cases of GBS, and to confirm absence of cases on a weekly basis. Contact information for DHMH is below.
Brenna Hogan, MPH
Epidemiologist
Emerging Infections Program
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
201 W. Preston St. 3rd Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-767-1060
Fax: 410-225-7615
bhogan@dhmh.state.md.us
Minnesota EIP Resource Sheet
Minnesota: Effective October 1, 2009, Guillain-Barré syndrome was added to the list of diseases reportable to the Minnesota Department of Health. MDH requests physicians report all cases of GBS diagnosed after October 1, 2009, to MDH as soon as possible—do not wait for the weekly contact from MDH. Cases should be reported to Corinne Holtzman, contact info below.
Corinne Holtzman, M.P.H.
Epidemiologist
Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Prevention and Control Division
Minnesota Department of Health
Phone: 651.201.5105
Fax: 651.201.5743 (Attn: Corinne)
Corinne.Holtzman@state.mn.us
New Mexico EIP Resource Sheet
New Mexico: Physicians in New Mexico should report all new cases of GBS to their surveillance officer, Walter Connor. Contact information:
Walter Connor
New Mexico Department of Health
(505) 827-0279
walter.connor@state.nm.us
New York EIP Resource Sheet
New York: The New York State Department of Health requests that physicians immediately report all hospitalized suspect/confirmed cases of GBS occurring in residents of New York state (excluding NYC residents) to the GBS Coordinator, Greg Giambrone. Contact information:
Gregory Giambrone, M.S.
Emerging Infections Program
New York State Department of Health
ESP, Corning Tower, Rm 859
Albany, NY 12237
Phone: (518) 408-1653
Fax: (518) 474-0452
gpg03@health.state.ny.us
Oregon EIP Resource Sheet
Oregon: Physicians in the Portland metro area (Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties) are asked to report all new cases of GBS to the Oregon Public Health Division. Contact information:
John Oh, MD, MPH
CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer
Oregon State Public Health Division
800 NE Oregon St., Suite 772
Portland, OR 97232
Duty Phone: 971-673-1120
Fax: 971-673-1100
john.y.oh@state.or.us
Tennessee EIP Resource Sheet
Tennessee: Guillain-Barré syndrome is a reportable disease in the state of Tennessee. ALL cases (regardless of vaccination status) should be reported to your local health department or the Tennessee Department of Health. Contact information:
Guillain-Barré Surveillance Officer
Tennessee Department of Health
Communicable and Environmental Disease Services
1st Floor, Cordell Hull Building
425 5th Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 615-732-6824
Fax: 615-741-6824
GBS.Report@tn.gov