1. Abstract
Title: Infectious Disease Response in New Jersey Healthcare
Name: Elizabeth Seroczynski
Preceptors: Phil Echevarria, Policy Analyst; Samantha DeAlmeida, Legislative Strategist
Agency: New Jersey Hospital Association
Purpose: To research the effects, efficiency and reliability of infectious disease protocols in
New Jersey hospitals and produce suggestions for improvement.
Significance: In 2014, West Africa experienced the greatest Ebola outbreak in history and was
unprepared to handle the severity of the outbreak due to the lack of medical supplies, efficient
training and protocols. The Ebola outbreak caused panic in the United States. As a result, New
Jersey hospitals created infectious disease protocols and training for healthcare providers and
first responders. As we enter 2016, the Zika virus has been introduced. The virus impacts
pregnancies, causing a birth defects in unborn fetuses of infected pregnant mothers. The World
Health Organization has declared the Zika outbreak a global public health emergency.
Method/Approach: Research and analysis of current New Jersey hospital protocols was
compiled through NJHA’s database, the CDC website, and the NJHA Prepare & Protect: Ebola
Virus Disease Toolkit. Research on how New Jersey hospitals are responding to the Zika virus
compared to other states was necessary to make suggestions for improvement. Interviews with
an infectious disease expert were conducted to retrieve information and observations from a
primary source.
Outcomes: The best sources of information about the Zika Virus were identified. Four
resources provided by the Pan American Health Organization and six publications produced by
the CDC were selected. Within the documents, four main categories of recommendations were
addressed, which included: limiting travel for pregnant women, methods to limiting mosquito
exposure, educating providers in treating infected Zika patients, and controlling the
environmental elements to control the mosquito population. .
Evaluation: Hospitals and health departments must work together to promote education and
prevention by utilizing international and national resources to create educational programs about
the causes, symptoms, and harmful effects of the Zika virus. The recent threat of the Zika virus
has prompted New Jersey to launch the #ZapZika campaign to educate the public about the viral
infection, but New Jersey should also implement a Zika Pregnancy Registry to collect more
information about the course of the virus and its effects. This could improve prevention methods
and clinical care for pregnant women and their unborn children.