Intro to the Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Outbreak Response Alvina Chu, MHS (JHSPH 98)
DHMH Location DHMH Location 201 West Preston Street Baltimore, MD 21201
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene GOVERNOR Martin O Malley Secretary John M. Colmers Office of Diversity and Inclusion Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Chief Administrative Officer Office of the Attorney General Office of Health Care Quality Office of the Inspector General Office of Eligibility Health Care Financing Office of Health Services Office of Operations and Pharmacy Office of Planning Financial Management Governmental Affairs Information Resources Management Admin. Capital Planning, Budgeting and Engineering Services Office of Human Resources Office of Procurement and Support Services Vital Statistics Administration Volunteer Services Operations Health Services Cost Review commission Maryland Community Health Resources Commission Maryland Health Care Commission Health Workforce Health Professional Boards and Commissions Maryland Board of Nursing Maryland Board of Physicians Regulatory Programs Forensic Services Resident Grievance System Co-occurring Disorders Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration Developmental Disabilities Administration Mental Health Administration Behavioral Health and Disabilities Local Public Health Anatomy Board Infectious Disease and Environmental Health Administration Public Health Services Family Health Administration Laboratories Administration Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Office of Preparedness and Response
Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Outbreak Response (IDEOR) Responsible for all communicable diseases except HIV/AIDS, TB, STIs Approximately 60-70 employees ~ 50% are epis (Masters-level and higher) Program Director: David Blythe, MD, MPH
Selected IDEOR Activities Lead and coordinate outbreak investigations Outbreaks are reportable in MD Average ~350 outbreaks/year Coordinate ID surveillance >30,000 reports/year NEDSS (current statewide system)
Selected IDEOR Activities Develop ID-related Plans Guidelines Fact sheets Other public educational materials Coordinate immunizations Conduct applied public health research
Reportable Infectious Diseases in MD By Maryland law, certain diseases and conditions must be reported Two principal sources of reports: Health care providers (Health-General 18-201) Laboratories (Health General 18-205) Reports go to the health officer (or a duly designated representative ) then is transmitted to the Secretary
Reportable Infectious Diseases and Conditions of Public Health Importance Amebiasis Anaplasmosis Animal bites Anthrax Arboviral infections Babesiosis Bacteremia in newborns Botulism Brucellosis Campylobacteriosis Chancroid Chlamydia trachomatis, genital infections Cholera Coccidioidomycosis Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Cryptosporidiosis Cyclosporiasis Diphtheria Ehrlichiosis Encephalitis, infectious Epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection Giardiasis Glanders Gonococcal infection Haemophilus influenzae, invasive disease Hantavirus infection Harmful algal bloom related illness Hemolytic uremic syndrome, post-diarrheal Hepatitis A infection Hepatitis, viral (B, C, D, E, G, all other types and undetermined) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Influenza-associated pediatric mortality Influenza: novel influenza A virus infection Isosporiasis Kawasaki syndrome Legionellosis Leprosy Leptospirosis Listeriosis Lyme disease Malaria Measles (rubeola) Melioidosis Meningitis, infectious Meningococcal, invasive disease Microsporidiosis Mumps (infectious parotitis) Mycobacteriosis, other than tuberculosis and leprosy Pertussis Pertussis vaccine adverse reactions Pesticide related illness Plague Pneumonia in a health care worker resulting in hospitalization Poliomyelitis Psittacosis Q fever Rabies (human) Ricin toxin poisoning Rocky Mountain spotted fever Rubella (German measles) and congenital rubella syndrome Salmonellosis (nontyphoidal) Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) Shiga-like toxin producing enteric bacterial infections Shigellosis Smallpox and other orthopoxvirus infections Staphylococcal enterotoxin B poisoning Streptococcal invasive disease, Group A Streptococcal invasive disease, Group B Streptococcus pneumoniae, invasive disease Syphilis Tetanus Trichinosis Tuberculosis and suspected tuberculosis Tularemia Typhoid fever (case, carrier, or both, of Salmonella Typhi) Varicella (chickenpox), fatal cases only Vibriosis, non-cholera Viral hemorrhagic fevers (all types) Yersiniosis
Local Health Departments
Daily Activities Keeping up to date with latest research and guidance Creating guidance for case and outbreak investigations Writing public information (e.g. fact sheets, FAQs, website)
Daily Activities Consulting with CDC Coordinating investigations within MD and with other state health departments Responding to media and public requests for information
Daily Activities Analyzing data for research studies, investigations Assuring data quality Entering data to databases and reporting systems
Daily Activities Training LHDs Presenting and lecturing for groups
Daily Activities Evaluating quality of investigations at LHDs (i.e. site visits) Consulting onsite or working in the field during investigations Rooftop survey of downtown
Daily Activities Participate in field investigations: interview cases Interviewing FSWs during outbreak investigation
Daily Activities Participate in field investigations: collect specimens Demonstrating use of PPE
How I got here 4 th grade: ES science fair College major: Natural sciences Masters at JHSPH: MMI 1 st PH job: GIS mapping of infectious diseases (Lyme, STIs) 1 st DHMH job: Syndromic surveillance for bioterrorism events post-2001 anthrax event 2 nd DHMH job: Outbreak investigations
Who s hiring epis? Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation: Industry Employment % of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage State Government 1,430 0.06 $28.96 $60,230 Local Government 1,160 0.02 $29.36 $61,060 General Medical and Surgical Hospitals Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools Scientific Research and Development Services 580 0.01 $37.91 $78,850 360 0.01 $31.54 $65,610 330 0.05 $35.75 $74,370 U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010
What s the pay like? Top paying industries for this occupation: Industry Employment Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 230 0.08 $50.23 $104,470 Outpatient Care Centers 70 0.01 $39.51 $82,180 General Medical and Surgical Hospitals Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 580 0.01 $37.91 $78,850 230 0.02 $36.63 $76,190 50 0.02 $36.30 $75,500 U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2009
Pay Scale for Epis at DHMH Epi I (base pay ~ $40-60,000) Master's in PH field Epi II (base pay ~ $43-67,000) Master s in PH field + 2 years experience Epi III (base pay ~ $46-73,000) Master s in PH field + 3 years experience OR Doctorate in PH field
A Day (July 11, 2010) in the Life of Outbreak of giardiasis associated with a community swimming pool Outbreak of pneumonia/rule-out legionellosis at a long term care facility International outbreak of measles in refugees, exposures at camp and on plane. Case investigation of typhoid fever carrier ex UK
A Day (July 2, 2010) in the Life of Case investigation and restrictions for S. Paratyhpi A positive foodservice worker Follow up on reassorted swine-origin H3N2/2009 H1N1 Outbreak of S. Berta associated with a pig roast Follow up on post-exposure assessment for MD residents to rabid Zebra in Kenya
DHMH Office of Human Resources http://dhmh.maryland.gov/ohr/
How to apply to DHMH 1. Complete MS-100 Job Application
How to apply to DHMH 2. OHR will tell you if you are Best Qualified, Better Qualified, Qualified, or not qualified 3. Will be placed on Eligible List (for 1 year) to receive notifications about active recruitments 4. Then some variable amount of time passes
How to apply to DHMH 5. May receive a notice that there is an active recruitment going on 6. If you are interested, send in your resume to the address on the notice 7. If you are not interested, return the form saying you are not interested 8. If you do not return the form, you will be removed from the Eligible List