[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23257-23258]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11498]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-01-35]


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 the CDC Reports 
Clearance Officer on (404) 639-7090.
    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. Send comments to Anne O'Connor, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days 
of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Assess Reporting Practices for Q fever in each State, and Collect 
Retrospective Information on Numbers of Q fever Cases Reported between 
1978-1999--New--National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Q fever, caused by the 
rickettsial agent Coxiella burnetii, is considered a potential agent of 
bioterrorism. Q fever in humans was

[[Page 23258]]

made nationally notifiable in the United States in 1999, and data are 
collected passively by CDC through the National Electronic 
Telecommunications System for Surveillance (NETSS). At the time Q fever 
was made nationally notifiable, approximately half of states already 
considered it a reportable disease. However, current information on how 
many states have changed their reporting criteria since 1999 or what 
reporting methods are used are not available, making it difficult to 
interpret data reported to NETSS. Q fever reporting data is available 
by state for the years 1948-1977, and complete annual NETSS data is 
available beginning in the year 2000. However, data for the years 1978-
1999 have never been collected. These data are vitally important to 
establish baseline rates of infection, providing immediate benefits in 
understanding the geographic distribution of Q fever in the United 
States. Without these data, it will take several years to acquire 
useful NETSS data to make the same assessments.
    The purpose of this study is to assess reporting practices for Q 
fever in each state, and to collect retrospective information on 
numbers of Q fever cases reported between 1978-1999. Respondents 
include an epidemiologist and laboratorian in every state. The results 
will be used to evaluate Q fever reporting practices in each state, in 
order to better assess the usefulness of NETSS-reported data. Data will 
also be used to examine the epidemiology of cases reported between 
1979-1999, including estimated incidence rates, geographic distribution 
maps, and demographic risk factors. The estimated cost to the public is 
between $3405-$6405. Time burden for response to Form A may vary, 
depending on whether there are cases of Q fever the state plans to 
report.

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                                                                     Number of      Avg. burden
                   Respondents                       Number of     responses per  per respondent   Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       in hours        in hours
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Part A: Epidemiologist..........................              50               1       30-120/60          25-100
Part B: Laboratorians...........................              50               1           15/60              13
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............          38-113
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    Dated: May 1, 2001.
Nancy Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 01-11498 Filed 5-7-01; 8:45 am]
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