1. EIS The Epidemic Intelligence Service
Danice Eaton, MPH, PhD
CAPT, US Public Health Service
Lead, Field Response and Support Team
Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, Georgia USA

2. What is the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS)?
Training through service
on the front lines of Public Health
CDC’s 2-year training program in the practice of applied epidemiology

3. EIS Officers
Are physicians, veterinarians, scientists, and other health professionals
Complete a 2-year, on-the-job training, and service fellowship
Serve our country while learning to apply epidemiology
Gain practical skills to become future leaders

4. 60+ Years of Training, Service, and Response
Polio Vaccines
Lead Paint
H2N2 Pandemic
1960s:
Smallpox eradication
Cancer clusters
War in Nigeria
H3N2 Pandemic
1970s:
Lead in fuel
Lassa Fever
Ebola Virus Disease
Legionella
Reye’s Syndrome
1980s:
Toxic Shock Syndrome
HIV Pandemic
Salmonella in Oregon
1990s:
Cryptosporidium
E-Coli
West Nile Virus
2000s:
9-11
Anthrax attacks
SARS
Hurricane Katrina
H1N1 Pandemic
2010s:
Haiti Earthquake
Mediterranean Coronavirus
Ebola Virus Disease
Zika Virus
????

5. EIS Training 90% “on-the-job” Develop applied epidemiology skills
Quantitative skills
Research design
Epidemiologic judgment
Health communications

6. EIS Service Domestic and international service
Respond to requests for epidemiologic assistance
Prevention
Disease and injury control
Health promotion
Capacity building

7. EIS Officer Assignments
State or Local Health Department (Field)
Broad, front-line public health experience
Surveillance, investigation, and intervention
Headquarters
Specialized, disease- or problem-specific experience (e.g., vaccine preventable disease, STD, injury, ectopic pregnancy)
Surveillance, investigation, and policy development

8. Current EIS Officers Assigned to Field Positions (n=43)
City/County Assignments:
Chicago
District of Columbia
LA County
NYC
San Diego
Seattle/King County
Tri-County (CO)
Other Partner Assignments:
Kaiser
Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
SAMHSA
Springer2
= County, city, agency, or other public health partner
32 assigned to state and territorial health departments
11 assigned to city, county, and federal partners

9. Hosting Field EIS Officers
Must meet following criteria
Capacity to provide strong professional supervision
Availability of field investigation opportunities
Availability of data for analytic projects
Participation in EIS Conference and matching process
Interested in hosting an EIS Officer?
Contact Jennifer Wright by August 31
Site visit will be conducted with eligible sites

10. Epidemiological Assistance (Epi-Aids)
Mechanism for CDC to respond rapidly to requests for assistance during outbreaks or other urgent health events
Infectious or non-infectious
Short-term (generally 1–3 weeks)
Focus is to make practical prevention and control recommendations
Cornerstone of EISO training experience
Requests must come from appropriate health authority (e.g., state epi, tribal chief, ministry of health)
Public health authority provides overall leadership of investigation and owns all the data

11. Reasons for Requesting an Epi-Aid
Increase the workforce available for rapid response
Streamline access to CDC subject matter experts and laboratory resources
Build epidemiologic capacity through collaboration with CDC staff
Provide the opportunity to train and mentor EIS officers and other trainees

12. Who Can Request an Epi-Aid
An appropriate public health authority must invite CDC to assist in the investigation, such as
State or territorial epidemiologist
Tribal chief
Foreign countries’ ministers of health
Federal agency officials
American military base commanding generals
CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program officials
Requests from local jurisdictions
Requests typically come from the state
Official letter of invitation can come from state or local authorities
EIS program will assess state concurrence with the request
EIS program will facilitate state-local coordination and discussion of concerns regarding request for CDC assistance, if needed

13. Steps to Request an Epi-Aid
Assistance to local jurisdictions are generally requested by the state
Contact your state epidemiologist or other health official to discuss the need
In coordination with state, contact CDC
Official invitation can come from local authorities; CDC will assess state concurrence
EIS program will facilitate state-local coordination and discussion of concerns regarding request for CDC assistance, if needed
How to Contact CDC
Contact CDC subject matter experts directly
Contact the EIS Office
At any time: (Best!)
During business hours (8:00am–4:30pm ET): Call the EIS Office at
After business hours: Call the Emergency Operations Center at