cancer: Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs)

Thursday 4 October 2012

To determine the incidence and epidemiologic characteristics of invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, group A Streptococcus, group B Streptococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in multiple large diverse U.S. populations
To determine molecular epidemiologic patterns and microbiologic characteristics of public health relevance for isolates causing the above invasive infections
To provide an infrastructure for further research, such as special studies aimed at identifying risk factors for disease, post-licensure evaluation

Pathogen-Specific Objectives

To determine the distribution of emm types and the association between specific emm types and disease severity in order to guide vaccine development
To track antimicrobial resistance among invasive GAS isolates
To identify potentially modifiable risk factors for community-acquired GAS infections and to identify potentially preventable nosocomial GAS infections such as postpartum and post-surgical infections

To assess the impact of CDC prevention guidelines issued in 2002 recommending universal prenatal screening
To determine the extent to which continuing cases of early-onset GBS disease are preventable through current prevention strategies
To monitor the impact of intrapartum prophylaxis on resistance and non-GBS neonatal sepsis
To identify serotypes responsible for disease in order to guide vaccine development
To characterize invasive GBS disease epidemiology and trends in other age groups, particularly late-onset neonatal disease and adult disease.

Determine the incidence and epidemiologic characteristics of invasive Haemophilus influenzaedisease
Monitor impact of the Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination program
Detect possible emergence of disease due to non-b Haemophilus influenzae
Determine appropriate verification and validation criteria for serotyping

To evaluate effectiveness of meningococcal conjugate vaccines and impact on disease burden and herd immunity
To evaluate the impact of meningococcal conjugate vaccines including changes in molecular epidemiology
To evaluate and validate molecular methods to determine or confirm serologic results
To evaluate trends in molecular subtypes and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance

To track emerging antimicrobial resistance in pneumococcal isolates
To evaluate the impact of new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for infants on disease burden and on antimicrobial resistance
To evaluate prevention among the elderly through pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine use

To determine the incidence and epidemiologic characteristics of invasive disease due to MRSA in diverse geographic areas and to categorize as healthcare-associated or community-associated
To determine the molecular epidemiologic patterns and microbiologic characteristics of healthcare-associated and community-associated MRSA