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Geographic Information Systems and other data visualization tools have become integral parts of public health decision-making workflows and provide crucial support to topic areas such as environmental health, the COVID-19 pandemic response, and chronic disease investigation and prevention.

Nov. 3, 2021, marks the sixth annual One Health Day, a global campaign to recognize and embrace how public health is connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. In this post, ASTHO talks about One Health with Wayne E. Cascio, MD, who serves as the Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Research and Development at EPA.

Episode 495: Power Outage Toolkit, Alpha-Gal Syndrome Explained website yes

Vector-Borne Disease association of state and territorial health officials, astho, vector-borne disease, disease vectors, vector surveillance and control, vector-borne disease outbreaks, health agencies, insecticide resistance, threat of insecticide resistance, tick-borne disease, tick-borne disease prevention, vector-borne disease control, mosquito control, environmental public health There are many diseases in the world that are transmitted to humans through vectors such as mosquitos, fleas, and ticks. Some of the most notorious of these diseases include West Nile virus, Zika virus, and Lyme disease. To prevent and control these diseases, vector surveillance and control is critical for any public health department. Environmental public health programs at the state and local levels develop and use tools and outreach programs to provide education to the public, identify and respond to vector-borne outbreaks, and to reduce exposure to diseases. ASTHO’s Vector-Borne Disease program, in partnership with CDC, includes assisting the National Association of Vector-Borne Disease Control Officials (NAVCO) and creating various resources for state and territorial health departments. article

The goal of these five key informant interviews was to gain insight into state and territorial health official (S/THOs) experience with vector-borne disease (VBD) outbreaks, communication strategies, and to capture advice they would offer to new S/THOs regarding VBD-related challenges.

This post features input from departments in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas to learn more about their experiences of post-hurricane environmental health issues, as well as advice and best practices for responding to these challenges.

Given the emergence of mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika in the United States and U.S. territories, this, the second edition of this report, provides guidance to assist local, state, and territorial mosquito control programs in developing and maintaining an effective mosquito control infrastructure to meet the ongoing challenges surrounding vector-borne diseases.

This report includes two case studies capturing how states are building capacity to address the threat of insecticide resistance. The case studies and analyses in this report may serve as a guide as states respond to similar problems in their jurisdictions.

Every year, ASTHO performs an annual environmental scan to identify these policy and programmatic priorities. The most recent scan occurred from June 2019 to May 2020. Through ongoing collection of data from a variety of sources—including state and territorial health improvement plans and strategic plans, documentation of discussion topics from ASTHO’s weekly calls with state and territorial health officials, requests for technical assistance, and subject matter expert input on trends and issues emerging in the field. These priorities will be ASTHO’s “2021 resolutions” as we enter a new year.

Both the Pacific and Caribbean are on the front lines of the dengue health security threat. As a result, many island areas, especially in the USAPI and Puerto Rico, are doing great work to combat dengue.

Health Officials Seek Sustained Investments to Protect Moms and Babies ARLINGTON, VA—Health officials say a new CDC study on Zika-associated birth defects is a stark reminder that emerging infectious diseases constitute a persistent threat to our nation’s health security. Given the higher rate and broader spectrum of disabilities associated with Zika during pregnancy, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) urges policymakers to direct continued resources to monitor the impact of Zika on mothers and babies. According to the largest report to date on health outcomes among babies in the U.S. territories one year or older, 1 in 7 have been diagnosed with health problems possibly caused by exposure to Zika. The report also presents new information on neurological conditions seen in infants affected by Zika—even those who appeared healthy at birth. “State and territorial public health departments are working with healthcare providers to collect and report medical information, share clinical guidance, and raise awareness about the risks of Zika,” says John Wiesman, president of ASTHO and secretary of health at the Washington State Department of Health. “To continue this and respond to both ongoing and emerging disease threats, we need sustained investments in the U.S. Zika Pregnancy and Infant Registry to strengthen our nation’s health security capabilities.” The height of the Zika outbreak has passed, but it remains a threat to mothers and babies who are especially vulnerable to infectious diseases and birth defects that can result from these infections during pregnancy. While the full extent of long-term health problems caused by Zika remains unknown, state and territorial health departments play a critical role in monitoring the health and developmental outcomes of children affected by many different types of infectious diseases and conditions, such as pandemic influenza, prenatal opioid exposure, and congenital syphilis. Unfortunately, funding to safeguard the public’s health has fluctuated drastically over time, dictated by emergency responses to specific disease events. “We urge Congress to provide at least $10 million to support initiatives to address emerging threats to mothers and babies. This will allow CDC to continue collaborating with state, tribal, territorial, and local health departments to monitor mothers and babies impacted by Zika and other infectious diseases,” says Michael Fraser, chief executive officer of ASTHO. “We need adequate resources in place so that we’re prepared for the next public health emergency.” ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes

Health Officials Intensify Zika Prevention Efforts ARLINGTON, VA—State and territorial health officials are redoubling prevention efforts to address the serious public health threats associated with Zika virus and to protect the health of mothers and babies. Yesterday, CDC published an analysis of nearly 1,300 pregnant women with evidence of Zika infection, per data reported by 44 states to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry in 2016. About 1 in 10 pregnant women with confirmed Zika had a fetus or baby with birth defects. In light of these findings, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) calls for continued resources to support an aggressive, long-term governmental public health response to Zika, including laboratory, epidemiological, and surveillance capacity, vector control, and public awareness and education campaigns. With most of the women in the study acquiring Zika infection during travel to an area where Zika was present, all jurisdictions within the United States must remain on alert and prepared due to travel-related cases and sexual transmission. Also, with warmer weather and mosquito season approaching, CDC’s new Vital Signs report highlights the need for ongoing vigilance and sustained measures to prevent and manage cases of Zika, diagnose patients, increase lab capacity and vector control, and coordinate Zika-related birth defects surveillance activities, especially in parts of the United States where local transmission through the bite from the specific mosquito capable of carrying the Zika virus is possible. “Public health has a long history of combatting and eradicating mosquito-borne diseases, but ensuring robust epidemiological and laboratory infrastructure across the governmental public health system is critical to stay ahead of the spread of Zika virus,” says Brenda Fitzgerald, ASTHO president-elect and commissioner and state health officer of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “In Georgia, for example, we have limited geographic mosquito surveillance and vector control capabilities. That causes particular concern about the 63 counties at higher risk of Zika transmission due to their dense populations, high rates of poverty, and large numbers of females of reproductive age.” State, territorial, and local health departments play an active role in determining the risk of ongoing local transmission through enhanced surveillance and vector control activities. Health departments, together with healthcare professionals, laboratory experts, and disease control specialists, are working nonstop to protect Americans from Zika and other emerging health threats. Strong collaboration among state and local partners is critical to protecting pregnant women against Zika and connecting affected families with medical, social, and community resources. ASTHO urges sustained investments in public health funding to give state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments the resources needed to pursue a broad range of strategies to prevent Zika virus. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes

Implementing Health in All Policies in the Climate Space ASTHO, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, HiAP lens, Health in all policies, climate change, climate space, flooding and rain, extreme weather, extreme heat, wildfire damage, seven strategies, Texas workgroup, national disaster operational workgroup, Washington state department of health, emergency preparedness and response, hiap implementation, Wisconsin department of health services, new mexico taskforce, interagency climate change taskforce, climate action teams, Climate and Health Capacity Survey, HiAP Task Force; Climate Change Commission, Resilience Initiative Kerry Wyss, Ali Aslam ASTHO | A Health in All Policies approach can help public health agencies better address the impact of climate change on population health and well-being. Each year, we face hurricanes, floods, extreme heat events, destructive wildfires, as well as other natural disasters and homeland security threats that test the resiliency of state, territorial, and freely associated state agencies and the communities they serve. To address the health threats posed by natural disasters and by climate change, more health agencies are integrating a Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach. This cross-sector approach can make these climate efforts more effective and impactful, and help promote health equity and optimal health. This report outlines strategies for health agencies to apply the HiAP lens and utilize cross-sector collaboration to optimize their climate and health responses. Get the Report (PDF) website yes

This report aims to highlight the unique vector-borne disease challenges faced by Island Areas and to dive into the key components of a mosquito control program, that are relevant to these unique jurisdictions.

This report analyzes the results from a survey of state and territorial health agency staff to collect information regarding health agency efforts to address climate change and extreme weather.

This self-paced online training module was developed to address the short- and long-term health effects of climate change on vector-borne disease (VBD) transmission and infection patterns. The goal of this training is to provide geographic information system (GIS) tools and resources to Insular Area Health Agencies to assist in their surveillance of, and response to, vector-borne diseases.

This report presents findings from ASTHO’s 2017 Mosquito Control Survey, including information from thirty-eight jurisdictions about the organizational structure of mosquito control activities and the roles of key external partnerships at both the state and territorial levels.

A One Health approach can give health agencies the connections they need to address climate and health.

Learn about how ticks can spread alpha-gal syndrome, also called red meat allergy.

Though late spring and summer is considered “tick season,” ticks are still a threat in the fall as many areas of the country continue to see temperatures that ticks can thrive later and later in the year, and as people continue to get outdoors and enjoy their state parks.