Vibrio Reporting and Surveillance in Louisiana Jenna Iberg Johnson, MSPH Foodborne Disease Surveillance Coordinator Epidemiologist Supervisor Louisiana Department of Health Office of Public Health Infectious Disease Epidemiology Section

Reporting Vibrio Cases Vibrio infections are reportable to the Office of Public Health – Infectious Disease Epidemiology by the Louisiana Sanitary Code reporting is required within 5 business days Vibrio infections are reported by: Medical providers Laboratories – hospital, reference and state labs Reports received via fax, electronic lab reporting, or entered by provider into our reportable disease surveillance system Sometimes notified first by our state lab when they receive a vibrio isolate for confirmation

Investigating Vibrio Cases Epidemiologists follow up on all reported Vibrio cases Request lab reports and notes from provider Request an isolate be sent to our state lab for confirmation Complete COVIS form and send to relevant parties If oyster consumption is identified, notify Molluscan Shellfish Program who coordinates trace back If other seafood at retail establishment is identified, notify sanitarians to follow-up with establishment to review procedures, etc Enter details into reportable disease surveillance system Enter details into Vibrio database

Notifications of Vibrio cases All COVIS forms are submitted to CDC Weekly preliminary case count by species submitted to CDC If case reports oyster consumption, COVIS form is also sent to FDA Molluscan Shellfish Program is aware of all cases who report oyster consumption because they conduct trace back Sanitarians are aware of cases involving other seafood at retail establishment because they conduct inspections

Notification timeline Vibrio infections are reportable within 5 business days but this does not always happen Epidemiologists follow-up with case to complete COVIS as soon as possible Foodborne coordinator notifies Molluscan Shellfish Program as soon as oyster consumption is identified Foodborne coordinator notifies FDA of case reporting oyster consumption as soon as tags are secured Foodborne coordinator submits COVIS form to CDC once lab confirmation is complete (if done), oyster tags secured, any other relevant follow-up completed

Timeliness of COVIS submission to CDC Submission of COVIS can be delayed due to: Multiple steps in processing cases Difficulty reaching provider for records Difficulty reaching patient for follow-up Difficulty in securing relevant oyster tags Lab confirmation takes time Work load of OPH epidemiologists, sanitarians, molluscan shellfish