Comment from Angel, Jonathan
Jonathan AngelSupportIndividual
Summary: Dr. Jonathan Angel, a healthcare provider, supports the use of the Cyclosporiasis National Hypothesis Generating Questionnaire (CNHGQ). He argues that the questionnaire is necessary for identifying risk factors and exposures in patients, citing its success in helping investigators distinguish between multiple outbreaks and identify specific causes.
OMB requested comments regarding the Proposed Data Collection Extension in 5 key areas, and I shall address only key area 1:
1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
I am a healthcare provider who takes care of patients, including many who are immunocompromised and at risk for severe outcomes should they contract Cyclosporiasis. The Cyclosporiasis National Hypothesis Generating Questionnaire is very necessary due to the many reported cases of Cyclosporiasis and the need for a questionnaire that adequately assesses risk factors and exposures specific to this unusual infection.
For example, a 2023 article in Epidemiology & Infection journal records that the CNHGQ was key in helping investigators tease out that what appeared as possibly one outbreak was actually two outbreaks, and furthermore, to help them identify a suspect produce item as the cause. (see https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10540164)
Sincerely,
Jonathan Angel, MD