Download Projects with the CDC International Emerging Infections Program in

Projects with the CDC International Emerging Infections Program in Guatemala
The mission of the IEIP in Guatemala is to assure a rapid and effective response to emerging
infectious disease threats by contributing to the capacity of the Ministry of Public Health
(MOPH) to recognize emerging infections and prevent,
control and treat important infectious diseases. To this
end, we work in five main areas: development of new
knowledge and information to better achieve public
health goals; strengthening capacity of MOPH and
academic partners to conduct epidemiologic research,
surveillance and analysis; strengthening capacity of the
national laboratory network to conduct high quality
diagnostic assays; promotion of foodborne disease
outbreak and epidemiologic investigation through a
regional network; and evaluation of public health
programs.
Every year, the IEIP hosts and supervises public health
students with excellent skills and great potential for significant future contributions to the area
of global health who are interested in working collaboratively to achieve these goals. Below is a
selection of areas in which students can have an impact on epidemiology and health programs
in Guatemala. We welcome suggestions for additional projects or different approaches that fit
within our focus areas.
Surveillance Officers
A. Collaborate with the Guatemala National Center for Epidemiology and the Health Areas
of Santa Rosa and Quetzaltenango, where IEIP has population-based surveillance for
respiratory, diarrhea and febrile diseases, in the analysis and presentation of
surveillance data to assess and describe the health situation of the country and identify
priority areas for prevention and control of disease;
B. Assist the IEIP to prepare quarterly analysis reports to analyze long-term trends in
mortality, antibiotic susceptibility, disease incidence and risk factors for respiratory and
diarrheal diseases.
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Development of Early Warning Systems for Respiratory and Diarrheal Diseases
Assist in the implementation of the CDC Early Aberration
Reporting System for early warning of outbreaks and seasonal
increases in infectious diseases in Guatemala. Work with the
MOPH in integrating IEIP databases automatically into the EARS
system to provide daily or weekly notice of possible outbreaks.
Spatial analysis of disease clusters to detect environmental risk
factors
Using data from Nueva Santa Rosa where there is comprehensive
surveillance for respiratory and diarrhea illness, use spatial
statistical methods to identify clusters of disease related to
topography, sources of water, housing characteristics and other environmental factors that
would permit health area authorities to better target disease control and prevention efforts.
Foodborne disease epidemiology
Participate in the design, implementation and analysis of studies to
describe the burden of illness due to foodborne diseases in
Guatemala and other countries in Central America.
Improving diagnosis of blood-stream infections
Analyze a large database of blood culture results from hospitals
with blood cultures supported by IEIP and describe the pathogen
profile by clinical, demographic and epidemiologic characteristics
of patients. Determine whether recent addition of a dedicated fulltime phlebotomy team has improved the quantity and quality of
blood cultures.
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Kim Lindblade
Director, IEIP Guatemala
[email protected]
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