[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 179 (Wednesday, September 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55631-55632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23226]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30 Day-15-15AIS]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted 
the following information collection request to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The notice for the proposed 
information collection is published to obtain comments from the public 
and affected agencies.
    Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are 
encouraged. Your comments should address any of the following: (a) 
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the 
accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; (d) Minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses; and 
(e) Assess information collection costs.
    To request additional information on the proposed project or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call 
(404) 639-7570 or send an email to [email protected]. Written comments and/or 
suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice should be 
directed to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-5806. Written 
comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    CDC Burden of Canine Brucellosis Information Collection--New--
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Canine brucellosis is a bacterial infection caused by the organism 
Brucella canis. Few seroprevalence studies have been done to estimate 
the prevalence of canine brucellosis, most of which were conducted over 
25 years ago. Two recent reports from Oklahoma and Wisconsin describe 
increasing prevalence in dogs; however, the national burden is not 
known. B. canis is also pathogenic to humans, although human infections 
are thought to be rare in the United States.
    Unlike Brucella abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis, B. canis is 
not classified as a select agent. As a result, laboratory 
identification of the organism in humans does not require reporting to 
the Laboratory Response Network. Brucella species-specific data are not 
collected in the Nationally Notifiable Disease Surveillance System at 
CDC, and there are no validated Brucella canis serological tests to 
diagnose disease in humans. For these reasons, there are no national 
estimates of B. canis prevalence in humans or canines.
    Additionally, canine infections with other Brucella species have 
been reported in the literature. Zoonotic transmission is a concern 
with all Brucella species pathogenic to humans, and at least one human 
infection with B. suis related to canine contact has been reported. 
Neither the prevalence of canine brucellosis nor the potential risk of 
zoonotic spread to humans is known.
    There has been interest in human brucellosis caused by B. canis 
among the public health community. However, the degree of public health 
importance of human B. canis infections has not yet been ascertained. 
The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists approved a 
position statement in 2012 that recommends increased focus on B. canis, 
and urges CDC to support the development of a human diagnostic assay.
    The purpose of this information collection request is to estimate 
the burden of canine brucellosis in the United States, which will aid 
in the determination of the level of public health importance of human 
B. canis infections, and the potential for transmission of brucellosis 
from dogs. An estimate of disease burden in dogs will provide an idea 
of potential transmission between dogs and humans, and determine the 
need for future human public health studies, which is critical during 
this time of scarce resources.
    Veterinary diagnostic laboratories throughout the United States 
will be solicited to provide information on the quantity of test 
requests and positive results for Brucella spp. in canines, outsourcing 
of clinical testing, state-wide policies for reporting of positive 
results, and policies for human exposure to clinical specimens or 
isolates.
    The laboratories were identified through multiple sources: A review 
of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-approved Brucella 
diagnostic laboratories, the National Animal Health Laboratory Network 
laboratories, the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory 
Diagnosticians (AAVLD), and an internet search.
    The outcomes of this information collection are to assess the 
burden of disease in the animal host (dogs, in this case), as well as 
evaluate the knowledge and practices of occupational exposures to the 
organism. The information collected will be used to guide a longer term 
strategy for identification of human cases, understanding risk factors 
and activities associated with zoonotic transmission, and eventually 
validation of a human diagnostic assay. These strategies will be 
implemented using other mechanisms.
    The total annual burden is 139 hours.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                     Number of    Average burden
          Type of respondents                   Form name            Number of     responses per   per response
                                                                    respondents     respondent       (in hrs.)
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Veterinary diagnostic laboratory staff  Burden of Canine                     119               1               1
                                         Brucellosis Information
                                         Collection.
Non-responders (over estimation)......  Telephone script........             119               1            5/60

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Other laboratories....................  Burden of Canine                      10               1               1
                                         Brucellosis Information
                                         Collection.
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total
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Leroy A. Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2015-23226 Filed 9-15-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P