Metro Atlanta responds to West Nile virus: a coordinated public health response.
Three and a half million people live in metropolitan Atlanta, in multiple counties with varying population bases, resources, issues and separate boards of health. Historically, public health issues have been managed within each county, with very little sharing of information among counties. The 1999 West Nile virus (WNV) outbreak in the Northeast caused public health officials in Atlanta to recognize the potential for the disease to spread to Georgia and the need to develop a coordinated, multi-jurisdictional response plan. This plan would need to address a new disease with little scientific data to predict how it might behave in a new environment and would also require closely coordinated communication among the local/state public health entities and elected officials. In early 2000, staff from the five health districts in the metro Atlanta area and the state health department voluntarily convened the Metro Atlanta Surveillance Task Force (MASTF) to create the Metro Atlanta West Nile Virus Response Plan. This plan utilizes a coordinated effort encompassing public education, surveillance, and mosquito control. With this plan in place, when the first human case of WNV was detected in Atlanta, the public heard consistent health messages about preventive measures to lower their risk of illness and the metro counties were able to carry out a successful uniform approach to mosquito control. This plan has received recognition by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) as a 2004 Model Practice, demonstrating exemplary and replicable qualities in response to a local public health need. Since the early days of the emergence of WNV in the metro Atlanta area, MASTF has continued to be a viable, evolving entity, managing and anticipating health issues. The MASTF plan is a successful effort to develop consistent policies and procedures for disease surveillance in a heavily populated area with multiple local health departments.
Willis
Juanette
J
Metro Atlanta Surveillance Task Force, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. ojwillis@gdph.state.ga.us
D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D009111:Local Government; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011635:Public Health Administration; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014902:West Nile virus