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Infectious Disease and Immunizations Conference

Infectious Disease and Immunizations Conference

The Infectious Disease and Immunization Conference was held virtually on Tuesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 17. The event brought together public health professionals and partners from infectious disease and immunization programs to share information and explore current immunization practices and infectious disease surveillance efforts in Michigan.

More than 800 physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, medical assistants, public health staff, pharmacists, medical and nursing students, practice managers, and other health care professionals gathered to hear from infectious disease and immunization experts and champions.

Agenda:

Agenda - 2026 Michigan Infectious Disease and Immunization Conference

Certificate of Attendance:

Certificate of Attendance

Evaluation Information:

The conference evaluation window has closed as of June 30, 2026. 

  • Pharmacists and Pharmacy Techs must complete the post test and survey evaluation through MPA by August 16, 2026.

CEU Information:

The process of reconciling attendees with completed evaluations for CEU credit submission began on July 1st. We plan to have CEU credits submitted to each accrediting organization (MSMS, MPH, ONA, and AAMA) by July 10th. Please allow a couple weeks for each organization to process and add your CEU credits.

Questions:

Please contact checcimms@michigan.gov.

2026 Michigan Infectious Disease and Immunization Conference FAQ Day 1 

  • What is considered wastewater?

    Water that has been used by humans for a variety of purposes - from sinks, showers/baths, toilets (sewage), etc.

  • Is there a way to thoroughly test organs for various diseases prior to them being viewed as "acceptable" and given to recipients?

    The short answer is no; there is no way to reliably rule out all diseases prior to donation.  There is a limited window of time for organs to be retrieved from a donor and transplanted into the recipient, and it is not long enough to allow for thorough testing for every possible pathogen.

  • Was the DARI questionnaire missed initially on the skunk exposure? Or was it determined retrospectively? As per the MMWR "The Donor Risk Assessment Interview (DRAI) questionnaire reported that the donor had received a skunk scratch."

    The skunk scratch was listed on the DRAI questionnaire which was available to the recipient's healthcare providers.  Organ procurement organizations do not typically reject organs on the basis of exposures like this. The proposed HRSA changes would flag exposures like this for CDC review, although even then organs would not be automatically rejected just on the basis of an animal exposure.

  • What were the questions asked to determine HCP exposures requiring Rabies PEP? Is there a standard instrument from CDC that can be shared?

    The Ohio Department of Health used a RedCAP questionnaire based on CDC resources. If you email me (reikr@michigan.gov) I can share the types of questions that are included but I don't think I can distribute it widely as it has not been cleared by any agency for general distribution.

    MI Rabies Flowchart - Human

  • Will there be a new flowsheet for Lyme's with these changes to high incidence states?

    Updated guidance has been shared. Please reach out if you need assistance locating the materials.

  • Are Lyme vaccines a viable prevention option?

    There is currently no commercially available Lyme disease vaccine, though several trails are underway.

  • Please clarify, you mentioned that in MI, the American dog tick does not cause human diseases. What about RMSF in MI?

    We do not see Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) in the enzootic cycle in Michigan. The pathogen isn't cycling in our animal population for the tick to pick up and spread. When we do see cases, they are travel related.

  • Is alpha gal something we need to be concerned about? It's been a hot topic online lately.

    Alpha-gal syndrome is not a reportable disease in Michigan and therefore we don’t have solid numbers like we do for routinely notifiable infectious diseases. The risk of alpha gal correlates with the range of the lone star tick. As the range and prevalence of this tick increases the risk of alpha gal expands and rises. Currently, we have established populations of Lone Star ticks only in Berrien County, but we do see sporadic reports from other counties.

  • Any potential for a national immunization registry since people travel, move, etc.?

    There has been talk about a national immunization registry in the past, but we have not heard anything on this topic in some time. A national registry will take some budget support at the national level so that is something they are likely trying to think about. I do know the focus was to get state immunization registries to talk and that is happening as you heard during the panel discussion.

  • Can you reiterate from what type of samples you can sequence? (culture vs PCR blood/urine vs etc.)?

    Whole genome sequencing (WGS) can be performed on any sample that contains nucleated cells.

  • Assuming that WGS has a higher cost than PCR identification, can you talk about the specific benefits to the expanded data on commonly tested infections? Has cost been an issue so far?

    Specific benefits to the expanded data from WGS compared to PCR on commonly tested infections include an ability to classify pathogens into strains or variants, the ability to identify genes of interest (such as antimicrobial resistance-associated genes) with a greater level of detail, and the ability to detect and investigate clusters of infections. Because of the higher cost and generally slower turn-around-time, for common infections, WGS is typically used as an additional characterization step after a quicker, cheaper diagnostic test such as PCR. However, the cost of WGS has declined tremendously in the past 10-15 years and it is no longer as cost prohibitive as it once was. A big factor in per-sample cost is how many samples you have available to run in each batch.

  • Is Meningococcal Vaccine offered in the shelters?

    No, it is not offered regularly in shelters.

  • Did you determine the Serogroup of the meningococcus?

    No, we did not.

2026 Michigan Infectious Disease and Immunization Conference FAQ Day 2 

  • If we are no longer following ACIP recommendations in MI (which I support!) do, we think AAFP/AAP/ACOG will come up with their own panel to review newly approved vaccines by the FDA to update the schedules moving forward? I understand this would be a big lift for them to try to replicate the ACIP meetings & the review process, but we will need this going forward.

    Unfortunately, there are still a lot of unknowns as to what the future will look like, however we have heard from these organizations that they really do not have the resources and the diversity in knowledge to create a new "ACIP" organization. They have stepped up in the interim, but they have voiced concerns about their capacity and capability to form a new panel. Everyone really hopes that CDC will ideally reinstate the previous ACIP and go back to the scientifically proven processes in the review and approval of vaccines. This is something we are having active conversations on to plan for the future.

  • If pharmacies will be given the ability to vaccinate children, will they also be required to do more training for appropriate vaccines for appropriate ages?

    Pharmacists do receive a lot of immunization information from their entities, as part of their training and from the Michigan Pharmacist Association (MPA) and MDHHS. We work very closely with our MPA partners when vaccine errors occur and ways to improve education to this group. T Pharmacists are key immunizers, especially among this age group, but we will continue to work with them and provide education.

  • Are the hybrid vaccine waiver education sessions for each waived vaccine or is it a one-time session?

    The hybrid exemption education will provide consistent education to everyone. The exemption education is not a one-time session. Exemption education will cover each vaccine that they are required to receive. Exemptions are based on the public health code for reporting at kindergarten, 7th grade and any new entrant to school, so if the parent or guardian is requesting an exemption the education would need to be completed at those times.

  • Would I be able to print off the Michigan Measles dashboard somewhere?

    Yes, you can print the page from the website, but you can’t download a report and print at this time.

  • Will there be an AVP option for Abrysvo for adults this year?

    As of right now, we are planning to add adult RSV vaccine, including Abrysvo, for the next year. We do want to note, however, that budget for AVP vaccines varies year by year and can change at the last minute.

  • I have seen an increase in reluctant patients for Tdap because we never hear about tetanus. Is there a good way or some data we can share about current cases of tetanus?

    Tetanus surveillance and trends can be found at CDC's website here: https://www.cdc.gov/tetanus/php/surveillance/index.html. Tetanus cases are rare in the United States and have decreased since the late 1940s due to the use of vaccines and Tetanus Immunoglobulin (TIG). I think it is important to acknowledge that although it is rare, your risk is significantly higher if you are unvaccinated or overdue for boosters. and there can be serious and deadly consequences to tetanus.

  • If we don't trust CDC for vaccine guidance, how would we trust them for any treatment of disease prevention?

    Excellent question – where our distrust in CDC resides is in vaccine recommendations right now. The scientists who continue to provide peer reviewed and published materials we trust. 

  • The red book has traditionally been written in conjunction with the CDC. Any updates as to how they will be presenting their material going forward?

    The Red Book is managed by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) Committee on Infectious Diseases which maintains and updates its content to reflect current medical knowledge. While the Red Book has historically been produced in conjunction with federal partners like CDC, recent changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the broader vaccine recommendation landscape have prompted a shift. The AAP has committed to issuing its own evidence-based recommendations to ensure guidance remains focused on the health needs of children. While the long-term impact of these changes on the Red Book is currently unknown, the AAP is actively providing resources to help pediatricians navigate this transition.

  • What exactly is Red Book?

    A textbook on pediatric vaccines, with a history of the vaccine and the VPDs. Red book is written by AAP.

    Red Book Online | American Academy of Pediatrics

  • Can you share the Listserv email link?

    The MDHHS Immunization Listserv contact is DJBarrera@msms.org to be added to the MDHHS Immunization Listserv.

  • Currently there is no common unique identifier to support record linkage between MCIR and MDSS. Is that anticipated to change?

    We will have to wait until the new MDSS vendor is selected to have conversations about future iterations of this system integration. We hope to have the MDSS vendor selected and announced by Fall 2026.

  • Is the MDHHS site for VFC Resources changing along with the new MCIR system, or will this still be available?

    VFC resources will still be available on the MDHHS site even when the transition occurs and resources will be updated where appropriate.

  • If the update is not ready before school/childcare reporting will the launch wait?

    The system will only launch once all required functionality is operational or has a viable workaround identified. The MDHHS, DTMB, and STC teams are working diligently to thoroughly test this functionality to ensure it will be accessible on day 1.

  • How long do you think it will be until we will have a HL7 data transfer report and a batch option in the new system?

    We do not have an estimate on new development in the system at this time. Once the transition is complete, the Michigan team will with STC|Health to assess the development roadmap and consortium modernization plans.

  • LMS does not look like MCIR at all.

    The LMS (or learning management system) platform is a new tool available to Michigan through the new relationship with STC|Health. It is a training platform but is not a replacement for the MCIR system itself. MCIR on the STC|One platform will be launched on August 10, 2026.

  • Will the link on www.mcir.org still work?

    Yes, mcir.org will continue to provide resources through the launch of the new immunization system and remain available after the launch. Please note that many of the system training resources (i.e. self-paced modules, quick reference guides, and registration links to virtual-instructor-led training courses are available through the LMS portal).

  • Will a batch print be available in the new system?

    The batch printing feature will not be available on day 1 of the new system. As stated in response to an earlier question, once the transition is complete, the Michigan team will with STC|Health to assess the development roadmap and consortium modernization plans.

  • A step-by-step tipsheet for how to update your MCIR Login Profile would be helpful for providers, schools, and childcares.

    This is a great point, and we will bring this back to the team.

  • Do you have a definitive date when the trainings for the Train the Trainer State and Local Health Department?

    We do not have a definitive date yet but will share the date as soon as it is set.