Since 1997 the Office of Surveillance (OoS) has been responsible for the development and continuous quality improvement of an integrated statewide surveillance system for communicable, zoonotic, and environmentally induced health threats.  This is accomplished with the collaboration of health partners from all fields in the pursuit of accurate public health data collection and storage. This effort provides for early identification of health threats, which maximizes the efforts of early prevention.

This report contains information about reportable diseases and conditions, as well as items of public health interest reported in 2002 to the OoS and other sections within the Division of Environmental Health and Communicable Disease Prevention (EHCDP) of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). Information about the annual cases of specific diseases is presented as part of a detailed demographic profile or simple descriptions of disease by month of report and the associated five-year median, lower quartile (first quartile) and upper quartile (third quartile). The median, or second quartile, is the value that is the middle of variance for the cases. Each quartile is worth 25%. These ranges for this five-year median are based on the calendar years 1997 through 2001. Additional information about these conditions is available through the hyperlinks in this document and the Department of Health and Senior Services web site (www.dhss.mo.gov).


Note from the Administrator of the Office of Surveillance

This is the first year that the OoS has produced a comprehensive annual report.  Many of the mandated reportable diseases and conditions are highlighted here.  Diseases with unusual occurrence are noted along with an explanation.

The idea for this report came from an OoS Epidemiology Specialist, Michael Fobbs.  His persistence, as well as the work of many others in the OoS, have resulted in this report.  A special thanks goes to Lora Cable who spent hours formatting the document.

We invite your questions and comments on this report.  We can be reached by phone at (573) 751-9071 or Toll- free (866) 628-9891, by Fax at (573) 751-6417, or email lyn.konstant@dhss.mo.gov.  Put in subject line "2002 OoS Annual Report".

Thank you for taking the time to read this report.

Lyn C. Konstant, Ph.D.
Administrator