Using the Internet to Identify Infectious-Disease Outbreaks

Abstract

To the Editor: The Emerging Infections Network (EIN) is a health care provider–based, sentinel network that was established in 1996. Its central feature is an e-mail list (listserv) with 946 participants from all 50 states and 36 foreign countries. The majority of participants are infectious-disease consultants in academia or private practice; 16 percent work in the public health sector. Participants communicate by means of a closed electronic mail system and Web site.1 The purposes of EIN are to detect new infectious diseases or outbreaks, identify cases during investigations of outbreaks, acquire knowledge rapidly about newer infections, facilitate research, and foster . . .