02-7408. Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a list of information collection requests under review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at [phone]. Send written comments to CDC, Desk Officer, Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503. Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project: National Telephone Survey of Urban Mosquito Control Programs—New—National Center for Infectious Disease (NCID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus that is native to the eastern hemisphere, where it recently caused large epidemics of human disease in eastern Europe, Russia, and the Middle East. In 1999, West Nile virus first appeared in the United States when it caused an epidemic of mosquito-borne encephalitis and meningitis in the greater New York City metropolitan area. During 1999-2000, 83 persons (mostly senior citizens) with West Nile viral disease and 9 fatalities were reported in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The apparent primary vector to humans was the house mosquito, Culex pipiens, which occurs in virtually all urban areas of the United States. This species is also one of the principal vectors of St. Louis encephalitis virus, historically the most important cause of epidemic viral encephalitis in the United States, and a close relative of West Nile virus. Based on the detection of West Nile virus in birds and mosquitoes, this virus has now spread to a 12-state region of the eastern United States, extending from New Hampshire to North Carolina, and from the Atlantic coast to western Pennsylvania. It is likely that West Nile virus will continue to expand its geographic range within the United States, mainly through distribution by infected birds. Thus, many cities in the United States are at risk for West Nile virus epidemics, especially those without mosquito control programs that target Culex mosquitoes. No systematically collected information on such programs is currently available. Currently in the United States, mosquito control is largely a local issue funded by state and local tax dollars. In the proposed survey, mosquito control program managers will be identified and interviewed by telephone to estimate the number of U. S. cities of at least 100,000 population that have functional programs for controlling urban Culex mosquitoes, by geographic region. The survey will be conducted twice, once at baseline and again two years later, to assess national and regional trends in establishing such control programs. This information will serve as a resource for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local health departments, policymakers, and funding agencies. The estimated annualized burden is 48 hours.

Respondents	Number of respondents	Number of responses/respondent	Average burden/response (in hours)
Initial Telephone interview	143	1	10/60
Follow-up Telephone Interview with Initial Respondents	143	1	10/60

Dated: March 19, 2002.

Nancy Cheal,

Acting Associate Director for, Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers for Disease Control, and Prevention.