Active bacterial core surveillance of the emerging infections program network

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health Surveillance
• Microbiology

Background:

• The Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs) program is a vital collaboration for monitoring invasive bacterial pathogens.
• It covers a population of 17 to 30 million, tracking diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, group A and B Streptococcus, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the incidence rates of invasive diseases caused by key bacterial pathogens.
• To assess antibiotic resistance patterns in Streptococcus pneumoniae.
• To report trends in early-onset group B streptococcal disease.

Main Methods:

• Population-based active surveillance conducted by the Emerging Infections Program Network.
• Collection and study of bacterial isolates from invasive disease cases.
• Analysis of disease incidence and antimicrobial susceptibility data.

Main Results:

• In 1998, an estimated 97,000 invasive cases and 10,000 deaths were attributed to these pathogens in the US.
• 25% of invasive pneumococcal infections showed penicillin non-susceptibility; 13.3% were resistant to three antibiotic classes.
• Early-onset group B streptococcal disease decreased by 65% over the 6 years prior to 1998.

Conclusions:

• The ABCs program provides critical data on the burden and trends of invasive bacterial infections.
• Antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant concern.
• Public health interventions have successfully reduced the incidence of early-onset group B streptococcal disease.