CDC′s Work Saves Lives Everywhere, Every Day

Ebola: Getting to Zero

Progress has been made in the year since CDC first responded to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, but these efforts must continue until there are zero new cases.

Chickenpox Vaccine Saves Lives and Prevents Serious Illness

The United States has made significant progress toward protecting people against chickenpox. A walk back in time shows the many successes along the way.

CARES Strenghtens Links in Chain of Survival

In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began collaboration with Emory University and the American Heart Association to take a closer look at whether all the links in the chain were working properly, by developing the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES).

CDC Test for Dengue Fever Approved

Dengue, a painful and sometimes deadly viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, threatens more than 3.5 billion people worldwide. Dengue is endemic in at least 100 countries in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and parts of Africa.

Iditarod: Celebrating the “Great Race of Mercy” to Stop Diptheria Outbreak in Alaska

Years ago, diphtheria wiped out entire communities, sometimes killing all the children in a family. This is the story of a famous event that galvanized people in the United States to begin to use diphtheria vaccine—which has virtually wiped out the once dreaded disease in this country.

Malaria Vaccine Trial: Behind the Scenes in Kenya

In 2008, CDC malaria expert Dr. Mary Hamel learned that the Malaria Vaccine Institute was looking for leading research institutions in Africa to conduct Phase III clinical trials of the world’s most advanced malaria candidate vaccine, RTS,S/AS01. Recognizing that CDC’s nearly 30 years of collaboration on malaria research with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) would uniquely qualify it for serving as vaccine trial site, she told herself: “We must apply.”

PulseNet at Work: Detecting Hazardous Hazelnuts

They’re usually in bowls of mixed nuts that are a holiday staple. But for 8 people who lived in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, the 2010 holidays weren’t so merry. Beginning in late December, they all came down with a rare and serious illness caused by Escherichia coli O157:H7 that was lurking in, of all places, hazelnuts.

Deadly Listeria Outbreak Halted in Record Time

In 2011, cantaloupes contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes caused the deadliest foodborne disease outbreak in the United States in more than 90 years. The number of deaths would have been higher had it not been for an effective, coordinated response by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local health departments, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Epi-X: Building a Network to Save Lives

The Epi-X network includes epidemiologists, laboratorians, veterinarians, health officers, environmental health specialists, statisticians, pharmacologists, and other key health officials from local, state, and federal agencies. Epi-X works continuously with these partners, providing the guidance and support needed to handle a variety of health threats.

CDC′s Disease Detectives: Global Health Sleuths Battle Contagion Worldwide

CDC′s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) staff are the elite global health sleuths. EIS officers share real-life stories of response disease outbreaks and other crises.