Emerging Infections Program
A collaboration of the Tennessee Department of Health, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Introduction to the Tennessee Emerging Infections Program
The Emerging Infections Program is a population-based network led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in partnership with state health departments, academic institutions, local health departments, and other public health partners. The program works to measure the impact of emerging infections and evaluate strategies for prevention and control. The national program network includes 10 sites: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee.
Tennessee's Emerging Infections Program
The Tennessee Emerging Infections Program is a collaboration between the Tennessee Department of Health, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Department of Health Policy, and the CDC. EIP activities involve 20 Tennessee counties and, for some programs, extend statewide. Core activities focus on active surveillance of laboratory-confirmed cases of reportable infections, with participation from laboratories, healthcare providers, infection control professionals, and medical records staff.
Tennessee's program conducts surveillance and research on foodborne infections (FoodNet), invasive bacterial diseases, influenza, and healthcare-associated infections.
Contact Information
Active Bacterial Core Surveillance
Program Coordinator
Tennessee Emerging Infections Program
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department of Health Policy
2525 West End Avenue
Suite 700
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-322-6838
Fax: 615-343-8722
HPV-IMPACT Project
HPV IMPACT Program Coordinator
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department of Health Policy
2525 West End Avenue
Suite 700
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-322-6767
Fax: 615-343-1974
Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs)
HAIs Coordinator
Tennessee Department of Health
Tennessee Emerging Infections Program
Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
Andrew Johnson Tower, 3rd Floor
710 James Robertson Pkwy
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 615-741-7247
Fax: 615-741-3857
FoodNet
FoodNet Coordinator
Tennessee Department of Health
Tennessee Emerging Infections Program
Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
Andrew Johnson Tower, 4th Floor
710 James Robertson Pkwy
Nashville Tennessee 37243
Phone: 615-741-7247
Fax: 615-741-3857
Influenza Activities
Influenza Coordinator
Tennessee Department of Health
Tennessee Emerging Infections Program
Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
Andrew Johnson Tower, 3rd Floor
710 James Robertson Pkwy
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 615-741-7247
Fax: 615-741-3857
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department of Health Policy
2525 West End Avenue
Suite 700
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-936-3722
Fax: 615-343-3894
Beyond Routine Surveillance
EIP strengthens public health surveillance, prevention, and response for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Through active, population-based surveillance and applied research, EIP supports timely detection of disease trends, evaluation of prevention strategies, and translation of findings into public health practice.
EIP activities extend beyond routine health department surveillance by focusing on high-priority infectious disease threats, maintaining flexibility to respond to emerging issues, evaluating public health interventions, and supporting workforce training. Findings from EIP inform policy decisions and improve disease prevention efforts at local, state, and national levels.
Core EIP Activities
EIP conducts active surveillance and special studies in key areas, including:
- Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs): Monitoring invasive bacterial diseases such as Group A and B Streptococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
- FoodNet: Surveillance of laboratory-confirmed foodborne infections to track trends and guide prevention efforts.
- Influenza Surveillance: Monitoring laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations and evaluating vaccine effectiveness.
- Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI): Surveillance of infections with community and healthcare exposure, including Clostridioides difficile, MRSA, Candida, and other multidrug-resistant organisms.
- HPV-IMPACT: Monitoring trends in high-grade cervical lesions to assess the impact of HPV vaccination (conducted in selected areas).
Public Health Impact
EIP surveillance provides reliable estimates of disease burden and supports studies of risk factors, severity, and prevention strategies. The program’s strength lies in its ability to rapidly translate data into evidence-based guidance that improves public health policy, clinical practice, and disease prevention nationwide.
This Page Last Updated: March 26, 2026 at 4:38 PM