Division of Disease Control and Health Protection

Introduction

Time is important in responding to a chemical-exposure-related illness. The public health authorities can implement appropriate emergency response and public health action if they know about the event sooner. Florida Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health has developed the ‘Chemical Disease Surveillance Program’ as the main method for early detection and notification of chemical-exposure-related illness or poisoning.

The Chemical Disease Surveillance Program serves various functions to protect and promote the health of Florida citizens. The program provides education and consultation to County Health Departments and other stakeholders on chemical disease surveillance. Arsenic, mercury, carbon monoxide and pesticide poisonings are reportable conditions in Florida. Any reports of these chemical exposures are investigated and reported to the state. 

In addition to these reportable chemical diseases, the Chemical Disease Surveillance Program also monitors other chemicals in near real-time by using Florida Poison Information Center Network (FPICN) data and hospital emergency room chief complaint data. The program epidemiologists monitor data trends on disease syndromes such as respiratory or gastro-intestinal diseases to look for disease outbreaks. We also monitor increases in Florida Poison Information Center call volume due to specific substance and overdose of drugs such as cough and cold or anti-diarrheal medicines as an outbreak signal. These preliminary data are analyzed in near real time and serve to guide a timely outbreak response. 
 

Contact Info:

Prakash R. Mulay, MBBS, MPH
Chemical Surveillance Coordinator
4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin A08
Tallahassee, Fl. 32399
Phone: (850) 245-4444 Ext. 4576
Fax: (850) 922-8473

Read more about Chemical Disease Surveillance Program

• Reporting guidelines for CHDs

• Directory & internet resources

• Annual Reports NEW
  (pdfs, open in new window)
  - Arsenic Poisoning 2010 (pdf <99kb)
  - Mercury Poisoning 2010 (pdf <99kb)

  - Carbon Monoxide Poisoning 2000-2010 (pdf <888kb)