In conjunction with the Community Health Unit, Planning and Education Unit and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, the Environmental Health Unit conducts various communicable disease investigations and disease surveillance activities. Food borne illness investigations, West Nile Virus specimen collection and rabies specimen collection are just a few of the communicable disease activities performed by the Unit. Staff members have also been appointed to the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Task Force that is charged to formulate, review and update plans in the event of a bioterrorism attack or other public health threat. The Task Force consists of representatives from major medical, public health, law enforcement and emergency rescue agencies. Personnel from the Unit also participated in Top Off 3 in 2005 that was a Federal Emergency Response exercise to test the capability of Atlantic County to distribute prophylaxis (medication) to large numbers of citizens in the event of a bioterrorism attack. Legal References: N.J.S.A. 26:13-1 et seq. (Emergency Health Powers Act) N.J.A.C. 8:57-1 et seq.

West Nile Virus page

Helpful Links:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• County Rabies page
• New Jersey Department of Health - Communicable Disease Service
• Tick Borne Disease page