Grand Canyon Times

At the end of June, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) hosted its 11th annual Arizona Infectious Disease Training and Exercise (AZID2024). Over 400 public health partners from various organizations participated to discuss best practices and current infectious disease trends in Arizona and the region. The event featured speakers from local Arizona jurisdictions, neighboring states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and several academic institutions.

The event began with a tabletop exercise involving approximately 150 public health partners who examined ways to coordinate a response to a large-scale botulism outbreak. Over the next two days, attendees engaged in discussions on a range of infectious disease topics including foodborne outbreaks, healthcare-associated infections, vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, vaccine-preventable diseases, respiratory diseases, and sexually transmitted infections. Additional sessions focused on health equity, public health surveillance, tuberculosis outbreak control, antimicrobial stewardship, food imports, and interviewing best practices.

The diverse group of attendees included epidemiologists, environmental health specialists, infection preventionists, communicable disease investigators, disease intervention specialists, public health nurses, and clinicians from state, local, and tribal jurisdictions as well as healthcare partners.

Events like AZID2024 are essential for enhancing the state's ability to prepare for and respond to infectious disease threats. They contribute to making Arizona a healthier and safer place to live.