Emory Georgia Emerging Infections Program (GA EIP)

Active laboratory- and population-based surveillance across the state of Georgia, spanning over two decades. Formed through the collaborative efforts of the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), Emory University, and the Atlanta VA Health System (VAHS).

Overview

The Georgia Emerging Infections Program (GA EIP) is a public health initiative aimed at improving the state’s ability to detect, track, and control emerging infectious diseases. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the GA EIP is part of a larger network of state-based programs dedicated to surveillance, prevention, and response to infectious diseases. The program monitors a broad range of illnesses, including respiratory infections, gastrointestinal diseases, vector-borne diseases, and antimicrobial-resistant infections. Through robust data collection and surveillance, the GA EIP tracks disease trends and provides valuable insights into the incidence and spread of infections in Georgia. The program also collaborates with local health departments, healthcare providers, and academic institutions to enhance public health preparedness and response strategies. Additionally, the GA EIP supports research initiatives to better understand the transmission patterns, prevention strategies, and potential impacts of emerging infections, ultimately strengthening the state's capacity to respond to public health threats and protect community health.

37 Years Surveillance Experience

13 Project Areas

50+ Pathogens

265+ Abstracts/Manuscripts

PUBLIC HEALTH IN ACTION GA EIP Project Areas

Leadership
EIP Lab
Special Studies
Nursing Home Network
Data Modernization and Visualization (DMI)

Core Surveillance

RESP-Net
Active Bacterial Core (ABCs)
Healthcare-Associated Infection-Community Interface Activity (HAIC)
Fungal
FoodNet

Video: A Message from Cherie Drenzek, Georgia’s State Epidemiologist

Due to a multitude of challenges, we will unfortunately not be able to hold our annual Georgia Emerging Infections Program (EIP) conference this year. We look forward to this event every year and our staff delight in meeting with you and discussing clinically impactful public health concerns. We hope to bring this conference back next year and look forward to seeing you during our regularly scheduled outreach events. In the meantime, please watch a video from our partner at GDPH, Cherie Drenzek.

The EIP is a national resource for surveillance, prevention, and control of emerging infectious diseases. EIP surveillance efforts provide reliable estimates of the incidence and trends of certain infections and provide the foundation for a variety of epidemiologic studies to explore risk factors, spectrum of disease, and prevention strategies.

Learn More About the EIP on the CDC's website

Collaboration Georgia Department of Public Health

The Georgia Emerging Infections Program works in close partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health to monitor, investigate, and respond to infectious disease threats across the state. This collaboration ensures timely data sharing, coordinated outbreak response, and evidence-based public health action to protect the health of Georgia's communities.

Learn More about the GDPH

Other Emerging Infections Program Sites

Since 1996, Georgia EIP has been a key part of the national network of Emerging Infections Program (EIP) sites. The current 12 EIP sites, which include some of the nation's leading research institutions, offer valuable opportunities for investigators to collaborate with experts across the country. Through the CDC’s EIP Program, these sites engage in multi-site, collaborative surveillance efforts, producing geographically representative and widely applicable studies that enhance our understanding of emerging infectious diseases.

Scientific Presentations and Publications

Evaluating Indwelling Devices and Other Risk Factors for Mortality in Invasive Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales Infections in Georgia, 2012-2019

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infections are a public health threat due to the risk of transmission between patients and high associated mortality. We sought to identify risk factors for mortality in patients with invasive CRE infections and to specifically evaluate whether there was an association between indwelling medical devices and 90-day mortality.

Characteristics of Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection - 10 Emerging Infections Program Sites in the United States, April 2020-December 2021

Understanding characteristics of healthcare personnel (HCP) with SARS-CoV-2 infection supports the development and prioritization of interventions to protect this important workforce. We report detailed characteristics of HCP who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 from April 20, 2020 through December 31, 2021. CDC collaborated with Emerging Infections Program sites in 10 states to interview HCP with SARS-CoV-2 infection (case-HCP) about their...

Molecular and Epidemiological Investigation of Fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis-Georgia, United States, 2021

Reports of fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis bloodstream infections are increasing. We describe a cluster of fluconazole-resistant C parapsilosis bloodstream infections identified in 2021 on routine surveillance by the Georgia Emerging Infections Program in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Whole-genome sequencing was used to analyze C parapsilosis bloodstream infections isolates. Epidemiological data were obtained from medical records. A social network analysis was conducted using Georgia Hospital Discharge Data...