User:Mstrass

Bio of user Mstrass (Marc Strassburg, DrPH)
In his youth, he spent two years in the Peace Corps (Ethiopia) working with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Smallpox Eradication program. Attended graduate school at UCLA where he received a doctoral degree in Epidemiology with a minor in Health Services. In his current position for the Los Angeles Department of Health Services (DHS) he oversees Web Informatics (http://www.ladhs.org/ http://www.lapublichealth.org). Interests in this area includes improving the public's access to quality health data, resources, and information on the web. Previous positions at Department of Health Services in Los Angeles County include Chief Epidemiologist, Disease Control Epidemiologist, Environmental Epidemiologist, and Immunization Program Director. Recently he has been assisting the Department in the area of Bioterrorism Preparedness and Pandemic Influenza Planning.

Outside of DHS he has worked as a consultant in the field of Epidemiology and Information Systems for over 30 years, both within the United States and internationally. Expertise has been in the areas of; disease eradication, program evaluation, surveillance, and information systems. He has developed a number of surveillance and data analysis freeware software programs using the CDC's EpiInfo --- some of which can be downloaded at:. For the World Health Oraganization he has consulted in over 20 countries. The objectives of those consultancies have been varied and included; evaluating control/eradication programs, conducting program reviews, developing training materials, setting up surveillance systems, and participating in Technical Advisory Group meetings. Five diseases have received his principal focus of attention during this time; Smallpox, Polio, Measles, Rubella, and Neonatal Tetanus. He has helped co-author a number of Field Guides for the Pan American Health Organization, including measles, polio, and neonatal tetanus Field Guides. More updated versions of these guides can be found at:

Recently he has worked in China teaching courses on Epidemiology and infectious dieseases for the China CDC (CCDC). He has also helped Los Angeles and other counties on training issues and in developing Bioterrorism Preparedness Plans. Has also worked with WHO Geneva on SARS training materials.

For over 20 years he has taught at UCLA School of Public Health in the Epidemiology Department where he holds the rank of adjunct Professor. In 2000 he started teaching at Touro, an Internet based University. He also teaches a yearly course on Bioterrorism at USC.

His courses aim to provide both epidemiology majors and non-majors with practical knowledge related to infectious diseases, public health informatics, and epidemiological methods as utilized at local, state, federal, and international levels. More recently some classes have included techniques in developing surveillance and information systems on the Web, advanced issues in epidemiology, and bioterrorism and emerging infections.

He has a number of research interests both related to vaccine preventable diseases and informatics which have resulted in over 50 publications.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Journal Articles and Chapters in Books

Strassburg M, Simon P, Fielding J: Developing a Public Health Web Site: The Los Angeles County Experience. Journal of Public Health Management, 8(3), 2002

Strassburg M: The Global Eradication of Smallpox. Chapter in Basiro D., et al, eds. Health and Disease, A Reader, London Open University Press, 2001

Drotman DP, Strassburg MA: Data Sources. Chapter in Thomas J, et al, eds. Epidemiologic Methods for Infectious Diseases, New York: Oxford University Press, 2001

Galindo MA, Santin M, Resik S, Ribas MLA, Guzman M, Lago PM, Strassburg M, Hersh B, de Quadros CA. The Eradication of Measles from Cuba, Pan Am Public Health 4(3), 1998.

de Quadros C, Olive JM, Hersh B, Strassburg MA, Henderson DA, Brandling-Bennet D, Alleyne GAO. Measles Elimination in the Amercias, Evolving Strategies. JAMA 275:224-229, 1996.

Clements JC, Strassburg MA, Cutts Ft, Milstien JB, Torel C: Challenges for Global Control of Measles in the 1990's: Chapter in Measles and Poliomyelitis, First Edition, Kurstak (ed), Springer-Verlag, 1993, Austria pp. 13-24

Clements JC, Strassburg MA, Cutts Ft, Milstien JB, Torel C: Global Control of Measles: New Strategies for the 1990's: Chapter in Control of Virus Diseases, Second Edition, Kurstak (ed), Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1992, New York, pp. 179-210

Clements JG, Strassburg M, Cutts FT, Torel C: The Epidemiology of Measles. World Health Statistics Quarterly 45:285-291, 1992.

Gellert G, Gordon S, Gordon R, Strassburg MA, Brenner W, Fannin S: A cluster of sternal wound infections requiring muscle flap repair: Problems in epidemiologic investigation. American Journal of Infection Control 19:283-289, 1991.

Weiss B, Strassburg MA, Fannin SL: Improving disease reporting in Los Angeles County: trial and results. Public Health Reports 103:415-421, 1988.

Sorvillo FJ, Strassburg MA, Seidel J, Visvesvara G, Finn MD, Mori K, Todd A, Agee BA: Amebiasis and enteric infections among homosexual men, lack of evidence for invasive disease. American Journal of Public Health 76:1137?1139, 1986.

Strassburg MA, Greenland S, Sorvillo FJ, Habel L, Lieb L: Influenza in the elderly: report of an outbreak and a review of vaccine effectiveness reports. Vaccine 4:38?44, 1986.

Sever LE, Strassburg MA: Epidemiologic aspects of neural tube defects in the United States: changing concepts and their importance for screening and prenatal diagnostic programs. Chapter in Alpha?Fetoprotein and Congenital Disorders, Mizejewski GJ (ed), Academic Press, 1985, pp 243?262.

Strassburg MA, Greenland S, Stephenson T, Weiss B, Auerbach DA, Habel L, Lieb L:  Clinical effectiveness of rubella vaccine in a college population. Vaccine 3:109?112, 1985.

Sorvillo FJ, Huie SF, Strassburg MA, Butsumyo A, Shandera WX, Fannin SL: An outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia in a nursing home for the elderly. The Journal of Infection 9:252?256, 1984

Strassburg MA, Stephenson TG, Habel LA, Fannin SL: Rubella in hospital employees. Infection Control 5:123?126, 1984.

Strassburg MA, Greenland S: Anencephaly and spina bifida aperta: trends, seasonality, and geographic distribution in a low?risk area. Neuroepidemiology 2:5?15, 1983.

Strassburg MA, Greenland S, Portigal LD, Sever LE: A population based case?control study of anencephaly and spina bifida in a low?risk area. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 25:632?641, 1983.

Strassburg MA, Greenland S, Wang SM: A correlational study of neural tube defects and infectious diseases. Public Health 97:275?284, 1983.

Weiss B, Strassburg MA, Feeley S: Tetanus and diphtheria immunity in an elderly population. American Journal of Public Health 73:802?804, 1983.

Strassburg MA:  The epidemiology of anencephaly and spina bifida ? a review. II. Geographical variations, secular trends, seasonality and time?place interactions. Spina Bifida Therapy 4:181?193, 1982.

Strassburg MA: The epidemiology of anencephaly and spina bifida ? a review. I. Introduction, embryology, classification and epidemiological terminology. Spina Bifida Therapy 4:53?58, 1982.

Strassburg MA, Baker C, Minkowski W, Friedlander L: Serological survey ? immunity to vaccine preventable diseases among detainees at a juvenile hall facility. Journal of Adolescent Health Care 3:91?95, 1982.

Strassburg MA: The global eradication of smallpox: American Journal of Infection Control 10:53?59, 1982.

Strassburg MA, Greenland S, Marron JA, Mahoney LE: Animal bites: patterns of treatment. Annals of Emergency Medicine 10:193?197, 1981.

Strassburg MA, Imagawa DT, Fannin SL, Turner JA, Chow AW, Murray RA, Cherry JD: A rubella outbreak among hospital employees. Obstetrics and Gynecology 37:283?288, 1981.

Strassburg MA, Marquard JL, Fannin SL, Greenland S: Rubella on a university campus: an evaluation of case immunity histories. Nursing Research 29:390?391, 1980.

Strassburg MA, Greenland S, Fannin SL: Vaccine failures in the epidemiology and control of measles. American Journal of Public Health 69:1055?1057, 1979.

Krause PH, Cherry JD, Deseda?Tous J, Champion JG, Strassburg MA, Sullivan C, Spencer M, Bryson YJ, Welliver RC, Boyer KM: Epidemic measles in young adults: clinical, epidemiologic and serologic studies. Annals of Internal Medicine 90:873?877, 1979.

Strassburg MA, Greenland S:  Methodologic problems in evaluating the carcinogenic risk of environmental agents. Journal of Environmental Health 41:213?217, 1979. (Reprinted by the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, reprint #00?3368.)

Miscellaneous Publications

Strassburg MA: Book Review: Field Epidemiology, 2nd edition Michael B. Gregg, editor. Emerg Inf Dis 9:2 February, 2003

Strassburg MA, Ho A, Asarian-Anderson J: Prevalence of Overweight Among Adults in Los Angeles County. L.A. Health 1:4 November, 1998

Strassburg MA: Prevalence of perimenstrual symptoms and response bias (Letter to the Editor). American Journal of Public Health 73:596?597, 1983.

Strassburg MA: Beethoven, cause and cure of post cardiac by?pass blues (Clinical Curio). British Medical Journal 286:464, 1983.

Strassburg MA: Body temperature changes during the practice of g Tum?mo Yoga (Letter to the Editor). Nature 298:402, 1982.

Strassburg MA: Recurrent genital herpes: reinfection or reactivation? (Letter to the  Editor). The New England Journal of Medicine 305:1586?1587, 1981.

Strassburg MA: Stereo Equipment. Chapter in Music Art and You: 2nd edition, Strassburg R., Burgess, 1980, pp 51?58.

Fannin SL, Strassburg MA: Measles ? vaccine and immunization practices ? a review (Invited Article). The Western Journal of Infection Control 3:5?10, 1980.

Strassburg MA, Fannin SL: Scarlet fever in Los Angeles County (Invited Article). The Western Journal of Infection Control 3:3?9, 1980.

Strassburg MA, Fannin SL: Measles still with us. Los Angeles County Medical Association Bulletin April 6, 1978.

Abstracts

Lewis M, Irons B, Carrasco P, Hersh B, Strassburg M: The Burden of Congenital Rubella Syndrome in the English-speaking Caribbean. Abstracts of the XIII Meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on Vaccine Preventable Diseases, 1999

Irons B, Lewis M, Carrasco P, Hersh B, Strassburg M: Control of Rubella: Experiences in the English-speaking Caribbean. Abstracts of the XIII Meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on Vaccine Preventable Diseases, 1999

Irons B, Lewis M, Carrasco P, Hersh B, Strassburg M: Review of Rubella Surveillance Guidelines. Abstracts of the XIII Meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on Vaccine Preventable Diseases, 1999

Lewis M, Irons B, Carrasco P, Hersh B, Strassburg M: Surveillance Guidelines for Congenital Rubella Syndrome in the Caribbean. Abstracts of the XIII Meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on Vaccine Preventable Diseases, 1999

Monahan C, Strassburg M, Szpur M: MCH-INFO: Software for Maternal and Child Health Assessment and Planning. Abstracts of the 124th Annual APHA Meeting, 1996.

Oliva G, Rhodes K, Strassburg M, Bell D, Green J: The Utility of Hospital Discharge Data in Monitoring MCH Outcomes: Defining Indicators and Developing Software.Abstracts of the 123th Annual APHA Meeting, 1995.

Rhodes K, Strassburg M, Williams R, Brill L, Oliva G. EPI MCH/BC: A User Friendly Software for Maternal and Child Health Administrators. Software.Abstracts of the 123th Annual APHA Meeting, 1995.

Oliva, G, Willaims R, Strassburg M, Braveman P, Rhodes K: Building Needs Assessment Capability at the Local Level Through the Development of an Automated System for Birth Certificate Data Analysis. Software.Abstracts of the 123th Annual APHA Meeting, 1994.

Strassburg MA: Strategies for Measles Control. International Comparative Virology Organization/World Health Organization. Abstracts of the World Conference on Poliomyelitis and Measles, New Delhi, India, 1992.

Weiss BP, Strassburg MA: Misclassification of Drug-Related Gang Homicides and Assaults in Los Angeles. American Public Health Association, Abstracts of the 120th Annual APHA Meeting, Washington D.C., 1992.

Gustafson L, Hong C, Strassburg MA: Deaths in Los Angeles Among Nameless and Unknown Addresses. American Public Health Association, Abstracts of the 120th Annual APHA Meeting, Washington D.C., 1992.

Nicholas EA, Gillies E, Weiss BP, Strassburg MA, Seidel J, Berkowitz C: A public sector response to the child sexual abuse crisis. American Public Health Association, Abstracts of the 116th Annual APHA Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, 1988.

Weiss BP, Strassburg MA, Seidel J, Yick M, Payne K, Dunstan B: Evaluation of a model child sexual abuse crisis center. American Public Health Association, Abstracts of the 115th Annual APHA Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1987.

Weiss BP, Fong?Hui S, Strassburg MA, Smith D, Stuart M: Outbreak of illness associated with pesticide contamination. American Public Health Association, Abstracts of the 114th Annual APHA Meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1986.

Steele D, Poindexter J, Pearson M, Strassburg MA, McNabb K, Bendana N, Yick M, Portigal L: Health in Los Angeles County ? development of community and departmental objectives for selected health status indicators. American Public Health Association, Abstracts of the 112th Annual APHA Meeting, Anaheim, California, 1984.

Weiss BP, Strassburg MA: Improving disease reporting and surveillance in Los Angeles County. American Public Health Association, Abstracts of the 111th Annual APHA Meeting, Dallas, Texas, 1983.

Auerbach D, Strassburg MA, Tormey M: Gastrointestinal illness associated with chocolate milk. Proceedings from Epidemic Intelligence Service, 30th Annual Conference, 1982.

Strassburg MA: The epidemiology of anencephaly and spina bifida in Los Angeles County. Dissertation Abstracts International 42:12, 1981.

Strassburg MA, Greenland S, Portigal LD: A population based case?control study of anencephaly and spina bifida in Los Angeles County. American Public Health Association, Abstracts of the l09th Annual APHA Meeting, Los Angeles, California, 1981.

Strassburg MA, Sever LE, Greenland S: An evaluation of an "anecdotal" epidemic of neural tube defects in Los Angeles County. American Public Health Association, Abstracts of the 108th Annual APHA Meeting, Detroit, Michigan, 1980.

Strassburg MA, Greenland S, Fannin SL: An evaluation of reported measles vaccine failures in a community setting. American Public Health Association, Abstracts of the l07th Annual APHA Meeting, New York, New York, 1979.

Krause PJ, Deseda?Tous J, Cherry JD, Strassburg MA, Sullivan C, Spencer M, Bryson YJ, Welliver RC, Boyer KM:  Epidemic measles 1976? 1977: epidemiologic serologies and revaccination studies. Pediatric Research 12:362, 1978.

Krause PJ, Deseda?Tous J, Cherry JD, Strassburg MA, Sullivan C, Spencer MJ, Bryson YF, Welliver RC, Boyer KM: Measles in a large university. The Program for Western Society for Pediatric Research, Carmel, California, 1978.

Kraus PJ, Deseda?Tous J, Cherry JD, Sullivan C, Strassburg MA, Boyer KM, Dudley JP, Welliver RC: Measles revaccination: the degree of antibody response. The Program for Seventeenth Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, New York, New York, 1977.

Special Reports

Measles Elimination Field Guide (co-author) Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization 1999. Technical Paper No. 41

Developing Guidelines for Rubella and CRS Surveillance in the English-speaking Caribbean. (co-author) 1998

Worldwide Measles Elimination. (de Quadros, Hersh B, Strassburg M, Nogueira C, Carrasco P, Silvereira C). PAHO Strategy Paper 1996.

Measles Prevention Guide (co-author) Word Health Organization, Geneva 1996

Measles Outbreak Response (co-author) World Health Organization, Geneva, 1993

Neonatal Tetanus Elimination Field Guide. (Principal coordinating author) Pan American Health Organization. World Health Organization 1992. Technical Paper No. 35, 1993.

Polio Eradication Field Guide II (Principal coordinating author) Pan American Health Organization. World Health Organization 1992.

The Development of a Model to Predict the Mean Time to Paralytic Polio Case Discovery. Background paper for Commission on Polio Certification in the Americas, Washington D.C. July 5, 1990.

Acceleration of the EPI Towards 1995 to reach the Measles Control Goal (Co-author) September 1990 EPI/GAG/90.

Polio Eradication Field Kit. Regional Office for the Western Pacific. World health Organization 1990. Current Issues Related to Polio Eradication Efforts in the Americas. Presented to the PAHO Technical Advisory Group in Santa Mara Colombia July 14, 1989.

Polio Eradication Field Guide. (Principal coordinating author) Pan American Health Organization. World Health Organization. Technical Paper No. 6, 1987, 1988.

Polio Eradication Technical Manual. (Principal coordinating author) Pan American Health Organization. World Health Organization 1987.

Health in Los Angeles: A Report on Selected Health Status Indicators. (Team leader) Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, 1984.

Guidelines for the Investigation and Control of EPI Target Diseases. World Health Organization, EPI/GEN/84/7, 1984.

A Report on the National Review of the Expanded Immunization and Control of Diarrhoeal Diseases Programmes (A review jointly conducted by the Ministry of Health, Suva, Fiji and the World Health Organization). World Health Organization, 4?15 July 1983.

Strassburg MA, Radke VJ, Fekade GS: Smallpox Surveillance in Kaffa Province. Ethiopian Ministry of Public Health, July 1971.