Notices. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

530 words·~2 min read·/register/2002/12/10/02-31133

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BILLING CODE 4163-18-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [30DAY-08-03] Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC)publishes a list of information collection requests under review by the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at

(404)498-1210. Send written comments to CDC, Desk Officer, Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503. Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice. *Proposed Project:* Human Exposure to Cyanobacterial (blue-green algal) Toxins in Drinking Water: Risk of Exposure to Microcystin from Public Water Systems (OMB. No. 0920-0527)—Revision—National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Background Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) can be found in terrestrial, fresh, brackish, or marine water environments. Some species of cyanobacteria produce toxins that may cause acute or chronic illnesses (including neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and skin irritation) in humans and animals (including other mammals, fish, and birds). A number of human health effects, including gastroenteritis, respiratory effects, skin irritations, allergic responses, and liver damage, are associated with the ingestion of or contact with water containing cyanobacterial blooms. Although the balance of evidence, in conjunction with data from laboratory animal research, suggests that cyanobacterial toxins are responsible for a range of human health effects, however, there have been few epidemiologic studies of this association. We plan to recruit 100 people whose tap water comes from a source with a current cyanobaterial bloom ( *i.e., M. aeruginosa* ) and who report drinking unfiltered tap water. We also plan to recruit 100 people who report drinking unfiltered tap water but whose tap water source is groundwater that has not been contaminated with cyanobacteria. This population will serve as our referent population for the analysis of microcystins in blood and for the clinical assays. We will administer a questionnaire and collect blood samples from all study participants. Blood samples will be analyzed using a newly developed molecular assay for levels of microcystins—the hepatotoxin produced by Micocystis aeruginosa. We also will analyze blood samples for levels of liver enzymes (a biological marker of hepatotoxicity) and for a number of clinical parameters including hepatitis infection (a potential confounder in our study). We will evaluate whether we can

(1)detect low levels of microcystins (<10 ng/ml of blood) in the blood of people who are exposed to very low levels of this toxin in their drinking water,

(2)utilize clinical endpoints such as blood liver enzyme levels as biomarkers of exposure and biological effect, and

(3)compare the analytical results for the exposed population with the results from the referent population. The total annual burden hours is estimated to be 350. Respondents Number of respondents Number of responses/ respondent Avg. burden/ response (in hrs.) Telephone contact 300 1 10/60 Survey 200 1 1 Tap water sample collection 200 1 30/60 Dated: December 4, 2002. John Moore, Acting Deputy Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. 02-31133 Filed 12-9-02; 8:45 am]