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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Catherine Cuomo-Cecere, Director¹, Marsha McGowan, MPH, MA, HO¹, Zofia Leszczyniecka, MS, REHS¹, John Bateman², Nancy Borsuk, RN, MPH³, James Oleske, MD⁴, Andrew Plummer, MD², Christina Tan, MD³, T. Wey, MD⁴, Bruce Wolf³, Katerine Wytovich³, Polly Thomas, MD⁴, and Erica J. Sison, MPH¹. (1) Newark Department of Health and Human Services, 110 Williams Street, Newark, NJ 07102, 973-733-8624, sisone@ci.newark.nj.us, (2) Newark Liberty International Airport, CDC Newark Quarantine Station, 52 Terminal B, Newark, NJ 07114, (3) New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, 3635 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, NJ 08619, (4) New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103

Background: In November 2005, a flight carrying refugees from a developing nation with a known measles outbreak arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport. The CDC Quarantine Medical Officer noted that one of 30 refugees, a 17-year-old boy, appeared ill, was febrile with presumed Koplik's spots, and was transported to University Hospital of Newark. Confirmative serology remained negative until day 4. The imported case of measles motivated a joint response with public health and health care partners on the local, state, and federal levels. Objective: To identify public health issues that confronted the local health department (LHD) in the management of serious imported communicable disease. Methods: A retrospective evaluation of the decision making process was conducted through serial consultations and a subsequent de-briefing among all partners in which pertinent case-associated issues and questions were identified. Results: Issues that were identified included communications between local, state, and national agencies, criteria for quarantine, identifying housing and feeding of the refugee family, logistical issues related to laboratory testing during a holiday weekend, and evaluation of measles immune status in family members. The presentation will address interventions and their costs. Conclusion: The experience accrued during this event can serve as a basis for evaluation of existing guidelines for LHDs to manage imported communicable disease cases. Similar occurrences should be used as opportunities to test strategies and resources being developed for larger public health emergency response.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Understand current guidelines of controlling the spread of measles.
• Understand the definitions of quarantine and isolation and be able to discuss the evidence-based application of each.
• Identify the relative roles of local, state, and federal public health authorities in control of imported communicable disease.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation