The National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) is an electronic, web-accessible system designed to improve the quality, quantity, and availability of data for
waterborne,
foodborne person-to-person
zoonotic
A zoonosis (; plural zoonoses) or zoonotic disease is an infectious disease of humans caused by a pathogen (an infectious agent, such as a bacterium, virus, parasite or prion) that has jumped from a non-human (usually a vertebrate) to a human. ...
(animal-to-person)
enteric disease outbreaks in the United States.
NORS launched in 2009 for use by staff working within
public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
departments in individual states, territories, and the Freely Associated States (composed of the
Republic of the Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Intern ...
, the
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia (; abbreviated FSM) is an island country in Oceania. It consists of four states from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosraethat are spread across the western Pacific. Together, the states comprise a ...
and the
Republic of Palau
Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caro ...
; formerly parts of the U.S.-administered Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands).
Health departments are responsible for determining which staff members have access to NORS.
Separate sections in NORS for enteric person-to-person and animal-to-person
disease outbreak
In epidemiology, an outbreak is a sudden increase in occurrences of a disease when cases are in excess of normal expectancy for the location or season. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire ...
reports are intended to enhance the information available to quantify, describe, and understand these types of outbreaks at a national level.
History
NORS replaced the electronic Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System (eFORS), which was the primary tool for reporting foodborne disease outbreaks to the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georg ...
since 2001. NORS also replaced the paper-based reporting system used during 1971–2008 to report waterborne disease outbreaks to the
Waterborne Disease and Outbreak Reporting System (WBDOSS).
[Yoder J, Roberts V, Craun, GF, et al. Surveillance for waterborne disease and outbreaks associated with drinking water and water not intended for drinking—United States, 2005-2006. In: Surveillance Summaries, September 12, 2008. MMWR; 57(No. SS-9): 39-69.] The transition to electronic waterborne disease outbreak reporting is in large part a response to th
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)position statement titled
Improving Detection, Investigation, and Reporting of Waterborne Disease Outbreaks"
See also
*
Waterborne Disease and Outbreak Reporting System (WBDOSS)
References
{{reflist
External links
Council of State and Territorial EpidemiologistsNational Outbreak Reporting System (NORS)- Provides information on NORS, including forms and video training on using the NORS system.
OutbreakNet Teamat the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Epidemiology
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention