Department 3: Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Leitung (kommissarisch):

Ute Rexroth

Deputy:

N. N.

The Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology is responsible for the collection analysis and epidemiological assessment of data communicated to the RKI according to infection protection act (Infektionsschutzgesetz, IfSG).

The Department further conducts research in infectious disease epidemiology as well as sentinel surveillance projects and supports the Federal States in the investigation and management of outbreaks.

The Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology also represents the RKI in networks of the EU and WHO and maintains an information exchange with international partners (e.g. public health institutions within the EU, CDC).

Tasks (Official duties)

Coordination of General Tasks

• Investigation of national outbreaks at the request of the Federal States
• Investigation of international outbreaks at the request of the WHO, other international organisations or individual states
• Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the epidemiological situation of infectious diseases (surveillance)
• Awareness of statutory tasks in the area of infection control
• Research and development of methods in the field of infectious disease epidemiology
• Implementation and support of outbreak investigations
• Development and evaluation of prevention and intervention strategies
• Development of evidence-based recommendations for the Public Health
• Support and consultation of partners in the public health service and policymakers at the county, state and federal level
• Exchange with other national and international health authorities
• Information of professional public
• Training and development in public health with a focus on infectious disease epidemiology

Training in Infectious Disease Epidemiology

• Planning and implementation of training courses for the German Public Health Service (Öffentlicher Gesundheitsdienst), e.g. short courses of Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology

• Provision of training capacity within the framework of national and international long-term training programs:

  • Postgraduate Training for Applied Epidemiology (PAE); 2 years at the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin (German Field Epidemiology Training Program, FETP)
  • European Programs for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET)

Commissions

• Scientific Office of the Permanent Vaccination Commission (STIKO) (see. § 20 IfSG)
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 33
• Scientific Office of the National Verification Commission - Measles / Rubella
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 33
• Scientific Office of the Scientific Advisory Board for Public Health Microbiology
  Functional Responsibility - Section 3, Head Office
• Scientific Office of the Expert Advisory Group Influenza
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 36
• Scientific Office of the Commission Anti-Infectives, Resistance and Therapy (ART)
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 37

Representation of the RKI in National Committees

• Committees of the Working Group of the Supreme Health Authorities (AOLG) concerning Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Federal-State Working Group Infection Protection Act (IfSG)
• Federal-State Committee for Coordination of Activities of the HIV / STI Education
• National AIDS Council, in the field of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Bureau of the German Central Committee against Tuberculosis

Representation of the RKI in International Committees

• European Programs for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET)
• Steering Committee of Programs Directors TEPHINET (Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network)
• Council of European State Epidemiologists (CESE)
• Network Committee for Communicable Diseases of the European Commission (Decision no. 2119/98 / EG)
• Expert Group of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
• Global Health Security Action Group (GHSAG)
• Pandemic Influenza Working Group (PIWG)

Projects and Networks

• Working Group Influenza (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Influenza, AGI), GrippeWeb
• Food- and Water-borne Diseases Network (FWD / ECDC)
• Legionella Network (ELDSNet)
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 36
• European Tuberculosis Surveillance Network
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 36
• European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-Net)
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 37
• European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network(EARS-Net)
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 37
• European Influenza Surveillance Network (EISN)
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 36
• HIV-Seroconversion Network (CASCADE)
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 34
• European Surveillance System (TESSy)
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 32
• (EU-) Early Warning and Response System (EWRS)
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 32
• International Health Regulations (IHR), Call for Tender, REACT
  Functional Responsibility - Unit 32
• KV-Sentinel

Information Centre

The Department is associated with an information centre, that is responsible for the Infection Protection Act (IfSG)-related information for professionals and the professional public.

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