Surveillance for Pneumonic Plague in the United States
Author Information
Author(s): Curtis L. Fritz, David T. Dennis, Margaret A. Tipple, Grant L. Campbell, Charles R. McCance, Duane J. Gubler
Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
How can enhanced surveillance prevent the importation of pneumonic plague during an international health emergency?
Conclusion
The enhanced surveillance system successfully identified suspected plague cases, but none were confirmed.
Supporting Evidence
- From September 27 to October 27, the surveillance system identified 13 persons with suspected plague.
- All 13 had a history of recent travel in India.
- Symptoms included fever, cough, vomiting, and malaise, but none were confirmed to have plague.
Takeaway
This study shows how the CDC quickly set up a system to check for plague cases coming from India, but no actual cases were found.
Methodology
The CDC implemented enhanced active and passive surveillance at airports and through healthcare providers to identify suspected plague cases.
Potential Biases
The reliance on non-medical personnel for initial detection may have led to missed cases.
Limitations
The study did not identify any confirmed cases of plague, which limits the assessment of the surveillance system's effectiveness.
Participant Demographics
The participants were travelers arriving in the U.S. from India during the plague epidemic.
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