dog sled

Laura Hammitt, M.D. (left), and Kim Boyd Hummel, R.N., B.S.N. (right) were photographed prior to getting on their way to the remote Native Alaska village of Teller, Alaska, in order to investigate an outbreak of invasive Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib) meningitis.

This trip was made via dogsled, in order to conduct a review of regional immunization records, immunize children at risk for Hib, and to obtain nasal-pharyngeal swabs of village residents.

The trip was conducted under the auspices of the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Arctic Investigations Program. Drs. Hammitt and Butler were members of the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS).

Teller, Alaska is north of Nome. The final destination was Brevig Mission (pop. 234), but due to dense ice fog, the plane went as far as Teller, dropped the team off, and turned around. They got a ride on this sled across the frozen inlet from Teller to Brevig Mission. The ride was 6 miles, which took about 20 minutes. The temperature varied between 20 and 25 degrees below zero.