Emerging Infections Network (EIN)
The Emerging Infections Network (EIN) is a collaborative group of healthcare professionals, primarily infectious disease physicians, dedicated to the early detection and management of new and unusual infectious diseases. Established in 1995 through a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), EIN aims to provide timely data and insights on microbial illnesses. With over 3,000 members, predominantly in North America but with a global presence, the network plays a vital role in public health surveillance and outbreak response.
EIN members participate in regular surveys to share clinical findings and receive updates on infectious diseases of interest. This communication is crucial during potential outbreaks, enabling rapid data collection and reporting within 24 hours. The network's activities have been particularly impactful during global health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the tracking of mpox, facilitating real-time health data sharing with public health officials.
The EIN's ongoing work highlights the interconnectedness of global health, where emerging infections can cross borders and pose significant threats. By recognizing and addressing these challenges promptly, EIN members contribute significantly to mobilizing resources and implementing effective public health strategies.
Emerging Infections Network (EIN)
Definition
The Emerging Infections Network (EIN) is a group of physicians specializing in diagnosing and treating infectious diseases. These infectious disease physicians and other healthcare workers serve on the front line in detecting new and unusual cases of illness caused by microorganisms encountered in routine care. The member physicians are regularly queried on specific infectious diseases of interest and provide a source of data on infections. They work closely with their local and state health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As such, they may also participate in outbreak investigations conducted by public health agencies or in studies through the identification of persons with an infectious disease of interest. Physicians in the network also share information about diagnosis and treatment options with other members. They utilize an online platform to enable this collaboration. More than 3,000 healthcare workers are in the network, most in North America, although membership is global.
History
In 1995, the CDC and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) entered into a cooperative agreement whereby the CDC would provide grant money to the ISDA to investigate the feasibility of developing a network of practicing infectious disease physicians. The network was to provide timely information on cases of microbial illness. A pilot study was conducted in the spring of 1996. Recruited for participation were 169 physicians from IDSA regional and state chapters. Physicians in urban (64 percent), suburban (26 percent), and rural (10 percent) settings participated in four initial surveys of infectious diseases, with a mean response rate of 85 percent. Most surveys took only two minutes to complete and were returned in two to three days. The pilot study was deemed a success, and all ISDA members were invited to participate in the network.
Activities
In the twenty-first century, network physicians are surveyed on a topic of interest approximately every eight weeks. Members also voluntarily report individual clinical findings that may lead to future surveys. In the case of a possible infectious disease outbreak, members are prepared to respond to questionnaires concerning individual patient cases within twenty-four hours. Members also share information with public health officers through their online platform and the Internet.
Impact
Infectious diseases cross geographic borders. The emergence of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus in 2009 and of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2002 are reminders of this fact. The outbreak of Coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, in late 2019 and early 2020 is an example of the tremendous loss of life possible at the hands of globally spreading infectious diseases. Health surveillance organizations such as EIN played critical roles in preparing for the fallout from the diseases. As the twenty-first century progresses, the work of the EIN remains valuable for public health. In 2022 and 2023, the members of EIN closely tracked mpox, obtaining real-time health data and helping public health officials track the virus outbreak. They continue to collect data on emerging COVID-19 variants. The ability of EIN to investigate, report, educate, and inform public health officials on infectious diseases plays a crucial role in public health.
Economic globalization, climate change, unchecked population growth, and increasing gaps between the rich and the poor all contribute to the increased likelihood that previously unrecognized infectious diseases will emerge. The sooner such diseases are recognized as threats to public health, the sooner resources can be mobilized to combat their spread and limit their impact. EIN members are integral to this mobilization.
Bibliography
Abraham, Thomas. Twenty-first Century Plague: The Story of SARS. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007.
Drexler, Madeline. Emerging Epidemics: The Menace of New Infections. New York: Penguin Books, 2009.
"EIP Network Activities." CDC, 29 Jan. 2024, www.cdc.gov/emerging-infections-program/php/network-activities/index.html. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Emerging Infections Network: EIN, ein.idsociety.org. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
"The Emerging Infections Network: A New Venture for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Executive Committee of the Infectious Diseases Society of America Emerging Infections Network." Clinical Infectious Diseases, vol. 25, no. 1, 1997, pp. 34-36.
Lashley, Felissa R., and Jerry D. Durham, editors. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2d ed., New York: Springer, 2007.
Morens, David M., Gregory K. Folkers, and Anthony S. Fauci. "The Challenge of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases." Nature, vol. 430, 8 July 2004, pp. 242-249.