Knowledge and practice of foodborne disease clinical specimen testing and reporting in North Carolina, 2004.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Detection of foodborne disease outbreaks relies on health care practitioners (HCPs), infection control practitioners (ICPs), and clinical laboratorians to report notifiable diseases to state or local health departments. METHODS: To examine knowledge and practices about notifiable foodborne disease reporting among HCPs and ICPs in western North Carolina and among clinical laboratorians statewide, participants responded to a self-administered questionnaire about foodborne pathogen testing and reporting, referencing Campylobacter, shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli, and other organisms. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-two of 1442 health care providers participated in this survey. Of 372 study participants, fewer than 20% knew that both the clinician and the laboratorian were legally responsible for reporting the study pathogens. Most laboratorians identified the ICP (57%) as responsible for reporting. There was a lack of understanding about which infections and test results were reportable. LIMITATIONS: The response rate was very low, particularly among HCPs; participants may have been biased towards those with a particular interest in foodborne disease or surveillance. This descriptive study cannot be used to determine rates of reporting among the medical community. CONCLUSIONS: Although not legally obliged to report, ICPs were found to play a significant role in disease reporting. Dissemination of surveillance information and training through the established network of North Carolina ICPs may be ideal for improving foodborne disease surveillance in this state.