What is Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs)?
ABCs is an active laboratory- and population-based system for tracking important invasive bacterial pathogens (germs). For each case of invasive disease in the surveillance population, a case report with basic demographic information (age, sex, ethnicity, etc.) is completed and bacterial isolates are sent to CDC and other reference laboratories for additional laboratory testing. ABCs currently operates in 10 areas across the United States, representing a population of over 38 million persons.
