[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 72 (Friday, April 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25875-25876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07806]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-24-24EK; Docket No. CDC-2024-0026]


Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the 
utility of government information, invites the general public and other 
federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed information 
collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This 
notice invites comment on a proposed information collection project 
titled B. multivorans Ice Machine Multistate Investigation. This is an 
outbreak investigation which aims to evaluate the associations between 
Burkholderia multivorans infections among hospitalized patients and 
potential exposures to nonsterile ice and water from ice machines to 
help inform measures to prevent ongoing transmission.

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before June 11, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2024-
0026 by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road 
NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments 
to www.regulations.gov.

    Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal (www.regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed 
above.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection 
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; Telephone: 404-639-7570; 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of 
information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires 
federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new 
proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of 
information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information 
collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. 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;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    4. 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 
submissions of responses; and
    5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

    B. multivorans Ice Machine Multistate Investigation--New--National 
Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    CDC has been assisting state and local jurisdictions investigate 
clusters of Burkholderia multivorans infections among patients admitted 
across four hospitals in two non-contiguous states. The outbreak strain 
of the bacteria has been identified in environmental samples from ice 
machines. Molecular analysis has shown that the bacterial strain 
identified in ice machines is genetically highly similar to the patient 
isolates. Further investigation revealed that the same brand of ice 
machine and the same filters, descaling/cleaning, and sanitizing 
products were used by the four hospitals. Epidemiologic and laboratory 
evidence suggest the possibility of contaminated nonsterile ice and 
water from the same brand of ice machines as a common source of 
exposure.
    Further investigation is needed to identify the scope of the 
outbreak and the source of the ice machine contamination. CDC has 
deemed it necessary to conduct a national call for cases requesting 
that public health authorities report cases and clusters of B. 
multivorans. A case report form (CRF) was developed by CDC to assist 
jurisdictions in this effort. Jurisdictions will gather information 
using this case report form to assist in determining epidemiologic 
characteristics and risk factors of patients with B. multivorans as 
well as potential source(s) of B. multivorans, including ice machines 
and ice machine-related products (e.g., cleaning solutions).
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will share findings 
and recommendations with public health and healthcare partners to 
prevent further spread of B. multivorans infections; findings may also 
be shared with other relevant stakeholders and/or published in 
scientific journals to disseminate investigation outcomes. CDC requests 
OMB approval for an estimated 120 annual burden hours. There are no 
costs to respondents other than their time.

[[Page 25876]]



                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                      Number        Avg. burden
      Type of respondent            Form name        Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       (in hrs.)       (in hrs.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAI/AR Program staff..........  Burkholderia                  40               1               3             120
                                 multivorans
                                 outbreak
                                 investigation
                                 case report
                                 form.
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............             120
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Public Health 
Ethics and Regulations, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2024-07806 Filed 4-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P