Backer L C, Niskar A S, Rubin C, Blindauer K, Christianson D, Naeher L, Rogers H S
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Environ Health Perspect. 2001 Oct;109 Suppl 5(Suppl 5):797-801. doi: 10.1289/ehp.01109s5797.
Public health surveillance involves the collection, analysis, and dissemination of data for use in public health practice. A surveillance system includes the capacity to collect and analyze data as well as the ability to disseminate the data to public health agencies that can undertake effective prevention and control activities. An emerging issue in environmental public health surveillance involves human exposure to the toxins produced by microorganisms present in oceans and estuaries. One of these organisms is Pfiesteria piscicida Steidinger & Burkholder, a dinoflagellate found in estuaries along the Atlantic and gulf coasts of the United States. There have been reports of both human illness associated with occupational exposures to concentrated laboratory cultures of P. piscicida and massive fill kills associated with the presence of the organism in rivers and estuaries. These reports, and anecdotal reports from people who worked on rivers where the organism has been found, generated concern that environmental exposures to P. piscicida, similar organisms, or perhaps a toxin or toxins produced by the organism(s), could cause adverse human health effects. To begin to evaluate the public health burden associated with P. piscicida, investigators from the National Center for Environmental Health at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and health agencies from states along the Atlantic coast collaborated to develop a passive surveillance system for collecting, classifying, and tracking public inquiries about the organism. Specifically, the group developed exposure and symptom criteria and developed data collection and reporting capabilities to capture the human health parameters collectively referred to as possible estuary-associated syndrome (PEAS). The surveillance system was implemented in six states (Delaware, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia) beginning in June 1998. From 1 June 1998 through 30 June 2001, the six state health agencies participating in the PEAS surveillance system received 3,859 calls: 3,768 callers requested information and 91 callers reported symptoms. Five individuals have been identified as meeting PEAS criteria.
公共卫生监测涉及数据的收集、分析和传播，以供公共卫生实践使用。监测系统包括收集和分析数据的能力，以及将数据传播给能够开展有效预防和控制活动的公共卫生机构的能力。环境公共卫生监测中一个新出现的问题涉及人类接触海洋和河口存在的微生物产生的毒素。其中一种生物是费氏藻（Pfiesteria piscicida Steidinger & Burkholder），一种在美国大西洋沿岸和墨西哥湾沿岸河口发现的甲藻。有报告称，职业接触浓缩的费氏藻实验室培养物会导致人类疾病，河流和河口存在这种生物会导致大量鱼类死亡。这些报告以及在发现该生物的河流上工作的人员的传闻报告引发了人们的担忧，即环境接触费氏藻、类似生物，或者该生物产生的一种或多种毒素，可能会对人类健康产生不利影响。为了开始评估与费氏藻相关的公共卫生负担，疾病控制和预防中心国家环境卫生中心的研究人员与大西洋沿岸各州的卫生机构合作，开发了一个被动监测系统，用于收集、分类和跟踪公众对该生物的咨询。具体而言，该小组制定了接触和症状标准，并开发了数据收集和报告能力，以获取统称为可能的河口相关综合征（PEAS）的人类健康参数。该监测系统于1998年6月开始在六个州（特拉华州、佛罗里达州、马里兰州、北卡罗来纳州南卡罗来纳州、弗吉尼亚州）实施。从1998年6月1日至2001年6月30日，参与PEAS监测系统的六个州卫生机构共接到3859个电话：3768名来电者索要信息，91名来电者报告了症状。已确定有五人符合PEAS标准。
