E5-6811. Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call 404-639-4766 and send comments to Seleda Perryman, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail to [e-mail].

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

National Disease Surveillance Program—II. Disease Summaries (0920-0004)—Reinstatement—National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

Surveillance of the incidence and distribution of disease has been an important function of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) since 1878. Through the years, PHS/CDC has formulated practical methods of disease control through field investigations. The CDC National Disease Surveillance Program is based on the premise that diseases cannot be diagnosed, prevented, or controlled until existing knowledge is expanded and new ideas developed and implemented. Over the years, the mandate of CDC has broadened to include preventive health activities and the surveillance systems maintained have expanded.

CDC and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) collect data on disease and preventable conditions in accordance with jointly approved plans. Changes in the surveillance program and in reporting methods are effected in the same manner. At the onset of this surveillance program in 1968, the CSTE and CDC decided on which diseases warranted surveillance. These diseases are reviewed and revised based on variations in the public's health. Surveillance forms are distributed to the State and local health departments who voluntarily submit these reports to CDC at variable frequencies, either weekly or monthly. CDC then calculates and publishes weekly statistics via the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), providing the states with timely aggregates of their submissions.

The following diseases/conditions are included in this program: Diarrheal disease surveillance (includes campylobacter, salmonella, and shigella), foodborne outbreaks, arboviral surveillance (ArboNet), Influenza virus, including the annual survey and influenza-like illness, Respiratory and Enterovirus surveillance, rabies, waterborne diseases, cholera and other vibrio illnesses, and calicinet. These data are essential on the local, state, and Federal levels for measuring trends in diseases, evaluating the effectiveness of current prevention strategies, and determining the need for modifying current prevention measures.

This request is for reinstatement of the data collection for three years. Because of the distinct nature of each of the diseases, the number of cases reported annually is different for each. There is no cost to respondents other than their time.

Estimated Annualized Burden Table

Form	Number of respondents	Number of responses	Hours/ response	Response burden
Diarrheal Disease Surveillance:
—Campylobacter (electronic)	53	52	3/60	138
—Salmonella (electronic)	53	52	3/60	138
—Shigella (electronic)	53	52	3/60	138
Foodborne Outbreak Form	52	25	15/60	325
Arboviral Surveillance (ArboNet)	54	717	5/60	3,227
Influenza:
—Influenza virus (fax, Oct-May)	44	33	10/60	242
—Influenza virus (fax, year round)	12	52	10/60	104
—Influenza virus (electronic, Oct-May)	14	33	5/60	39
—Influenza virus (electronic, year round)	10	52	5/60	43
Influenza Annual Survey	80	1	15/60	20
Influenza-like Illness (Oct-May)	620	33	15/60	5115
Influenza-like Illness (year round)	130	52	15/60	1690
Monthly Respiratory & Enterovirus Surveillance Report:
—Excel format (electronic)	25	12	15/60	75
—Access format (electronic)	2	12	15/60	6
National Respiratory & Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS)	89	52	10/60	771
Rabies (electronic)	40	12	8/60	64
Rabies (paper)	15	12	20/60	60
Waterborne Diseases Outbreak Form	60	2	20/60	40
Cholera and other Vibrio illnesses	300	1	20/60	100
CaliciNet	30	10	10/60	50
Total				12,257

Dated: November 29, 2005.

Joan Karr,

Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.