[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6459-6460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3024]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30DAY-27-03]


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 (404) 498-1210. 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: Exposure to Aerosolized Brevetoxins During Red 
Tide Events (OMB No. 0920-0494)--Extension--National Center for 
Environmental Health (NCEH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC).
    Gymnodinium breve is the marine dinoflagellate responsible for 
extensive blooms (called ``red tides'') that form in the Gulf of 
Mexico. G. breve produces potent toxins, called brevetoxins, that have 
been responsible for killing millions of fish and other marine 
organisms. The biochemical activity of brevetoxins is not completely 
understood and there is very little information regarding human health 
effects from environmental exposures, such as inhaling brevetoxin that 
has been aerosolized and swept onto the coast by offshore winds. CDC, 
National Center for Environmental Health is planning to recruit 100 
people who work along the coast of Florida and who potentially will be 
occupationally exposed to aerosolized red tide toxins some time during 
the year following recruitment. We plan to administer a base-line 
respiratory health questionnaire and conduct pre- and post-shift 
pulmonary function tests during a time when there is no red tide 
reported near the area. When a red tide develops, we plan to administer 
a symptom survey and conduct pulmonary function testing (PFT) on a 
group of study participants who are working in the area where the red 
tide is near shore and on a control group of study participants who are 
not working in an area where the red tide is near shore (i.e., are not 
exposed to the red tide). We will then compare (1) symptom reports 
before and during the red tide and (2) the changes in baseline PFT 
values during the work shift (differences between pre- and post-shift 
PFT results without exposure to red tide) with the changes in PFT 
values during the work shift when individuals are exposed to red tide.
    In addition, we plan to assist in collecting biological specimens 
(inflammatory cells from nose and throat swabs) to assess whether they 
can be used to verify exposure and to demonstrate a biological effect 
(i.e., inflammatory response) from exposure to red tide. We have 
collected part of the data, but, because we are dealing with natural 
phenomena and are subject literally to the tides, we must extend our 
data collection time for an additional two years. The estimated 
annualized burden is 206 hours.

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                                                                                  Number of      Average burden
                        Respondents                             Number of       responses per     per response
                                                               respondents       respondent        (in hours)
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Pulmonary History Questionnaire...........................                20                 1             20/60
Spirometry................................................                20                20             20/60
Nasal and Throat Swabs....................................                20                20              5/60
Symptom Questionnaire.....................................                20                20              5/60
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[[Page 6460]]

    Dated: January 31, 2003.
Thomas Bartenfeld,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-3024 Filed 2-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P