The disease detectives who protect us

If you have ever heard someone called a “disease detective,” they were talking about an epidemiologist. It is a long word, but the idea is simple. An epidemiologist is a health worker who studies who gets sick, where they get sick, and why. Instead of using a magnifying glass, they use data, maps, and science to protect entire communities, including ours.

In Alaska, most state epidemiologists work for the Alaska Department of Health. Within that department is a group called the Section of Epidemiology. Their job is to look at the “big picture” of health across the state, and to warn us when they see danger.

You can think of them as the early warning system for disease. They watch for patterns in hospital visits, lab test results, and reports from clinics and schools. When they see a spike in an illness, like the flu or tuberculosis, they ask careful questions in the quest for links. The answers to those questions help stop more people from getting sick.

During the COVID19 pandemic, Alaska’s state epidemiologists were some of the most important people you never saw on TV. They built the dashboards that showed case numbers by borough. They advised local leaders. Their work helped hospitals plan for beds, staff, and supplies, and helped EMS agencies get ready.

These same people help with smaller, quieter problems too. After a large event with food poisoning, they trace it to a dish or kitchen. When there is a cluster of illnesses in a village or neighborhood, they work to find the cause. When overdose deaths rise, they track the numbers and share what drugs are causing the most harm. That data has been used to support more addiction treatment, more naloxone kits, and more community education.

One example of state epidemiologists protecting MatSu happened in the summer of 2011, after 18 people got very sick with a stomach infection. Patients had severe diarrhea, fever, and cramps. State epidemiologists jumped into action. They discovered that all of them had drunk raw milk from the same cow-share farm in the MatSu Valley. Epidemiologists then found that bacteria from the farm’s manure and calf barn matched the exact strain making people sick. They issued public warnings to stop more people from getting sick and worked to address the contamination. Because they acted fast and followed the science, they contained the outbreak. Without their detective work, many more MatSu families could have ended up in the hospital.

Epidemiologists also help with long-term health questions. They study how many people have diabetes, heart disease, and sexually transmitted infections, as well as other infections. Also, they review its changes over time. They look at who is most at risk, such as elders, children, or people living far from medical care. Their reports have supported programs for vaccines in local schools and pharmacies, cancer screening campaigns, and better planning for elder care as MatSu keeps growing.

Most of the time, state epidemiologists work in offices in Anchorage, but their work reaches into every corner of Alaska. They support local public health nurses who serve MatSu. They answer phone calls from doctors in Palmer, Wasilla, and the outlying communities who need advice about an unusual case. If something big is happening, they might come to the borough to help investigate.

Their purpose is not just to study disease, but to share what they learn in a way regular people can use. They publish bulletins in plain language that explain current health problems in Alaska and what to do about them. They talk with legislators and officials, and their data often shapes new laws and policies. When you hear about changes in vaccine rules, school health practices, or food safety laws, chances are that epidemiologists helped build the case for those changes.

If you want to see their work for yourself, you do not need any special training. You can go online and search for “Alaska Section of Epidemiology.” Their website has health bulletins, data dashboards, and fact sheets written for the public. You can also contact the MatSu Public Health Center in Wasilla to ask questions or get connected to state resources.

Christian M. Hartley is a 40-year Alaskan resident with over 25 years of public safety experience and public service. He runs a freelance business, Big Lake Writer, from home in Big Lake that he shares with his wife of 19 years and their three teenage sons.