Welcome

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Emerging Infections Network (EIN) is a sentinel network composed of physicians specializing in adult and/or pediatric infectious diseases.

By virtue of their training and experience these physicians have a special interest in the detection of new or resurgent infectious diseases. Such diseases may be new, e.g., diarrhea caused by Cyclospora or bloodstream infections caused by Bartonella henselae; or they may be known entities whose incidence appears to be increasing, e.g., streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, ehrlichiosis, or infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

The EIN is intended to function primarily as an "early warning system" for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health agencies by providing information about unusual cases encountered in the clinical practices of its members. It may also assist in outbreak investigations, provide information on physician practices, conduct investigations on the cause of certain illnesses, and disseminate knowledge about new microbial threats.  See more information about EIN in About Us.

About Membership

All Infectious Diseases physicians who are either a member of the IDSA or the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) and who see patients on a regular basis are encouraged to join the IDSA EIN. The only requirement is willingness to complete and return the periodic queries and, occasionally, an urgent query. Both types of queries are designed for completion within two minutes without chart review or other research. In return, you will receive EIN reports, be able to provide input on future surveys, and be added to the mailing list for the CDC's journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases.

More intensive levels of participation, which are optional, involve taking part in a CDC ongoing query or participating in the electronic mail conference with other EIN members. We hope that you will enlist to help us advance this unique Society program.