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Summary: Current surveillance methods have been useful to document geographic expansion of Lyme disease in the United States and to monitor the increasing incidence of this major public health problem. Nevertheless, these approaches are resource‐intensive, generate results that are difficult to compare across jurisdictions, and measure less than the total burden of disease. By adopting more efficient methods, resources could be diverted instead to education of at‐risk populations and new approaches to prevention. In this special issue of Zoonoses and Public Health, seven articles are presented that either evaluate traditional Lyme disease surveillance methods or explore alternatives that have the potential to be less costly, more reliable, and sustainable. Twenty‐five years have passed since Lyme disease became a notifiable condition – it is time to reevaluate the purpose and goals of national surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes preliminary surveillance data by the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) of the Emerging Infections Program of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on laboratory-confirmed infections with select enteric pathogens transmitted commonly through food for 2009 and trends in incidence since 1996. A total of 17,468 cases of such infection were identified in 2009. Pathogens discussed include Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, and Shigella.

Revises the number of suspected bioterrorism-related anthrax cases in the United States and updates the investigation of the death of an elderly woman in Connecticut from inhalational anthrax. Prospective health surveillance which includes asking community organizations to report persons with clinical findings which might be related to anthrax; How the source of exposure for the elderly woman remains unknown; Editorial note from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Focuses on a case of inhalational anthrax in an elderly woman in Connecticut. Symptoms of the woman, which included cough, fever, weakness, and muscle aches; Surveillance for undiagnosed cases of anthrax which is being intensified in the area; Editorial note from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.