title: The RUsick2 Foodborne Disease Forum for syndromic surveillance.
abstract: The RUsick2 Foodborne Disease Forum at the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center increased reporting of foodborne diseases to more than four times the rate seen in the previous 2 years. Since November 2002, the Forum has allowed pilot-area residents with sudden-onset vomiting or diarrhea to share and compare information regarding what they ate and did before becoming sick. The purpose is to identify a common food source, perhaps resulting in identifying a cluster of persons who ate the same contaminated food item. Such information can assist health departments in detecting foodborne outbreaks while the possibility for intervention remains.
authors.affiliation: National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University, 165 Food Safety and Toxicology Building, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. ffmod@cvm.msu.edu
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wethington
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartlett
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011634:Public Health