EIS in the News
As EIS officers work on the frontlines of public health, they attract the attention of the news media and the public. EIS officers often share exciting stories describing their wide-ranging work, investigative skills, and public health insights.
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Former Cleveland Heights resident helps CDC fight Zika virus in American Samoa
Ruth Link-Gelles, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer, is recognized for months of ardent service on the front lines of the Zika virus outbreak in American Samoa. Link-Gelles was part of CDC’s team that investigated Zika transmission, coordinated laboratory testing and health services, and provided Zika education to the local community. These efforts helped ensure babies born to Zika-infected mothers were tested for birth defects.
The Plain Dealer
December 8, 2016 -
How many Zika-infected infants will develop microcephaly and other FAQs
When an outbreak strikes, the Epidemic Intelligence Service is the cavalry. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention EIS officers work on the front lines, where they investigate the causes and set up defenses.
PBS Newshour
May 18, 2016 -
Search Begins For Mothers In Brazil To Probe Zika Mysteries
Disease detectives from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control are in Brazil, rushing to answer one of the most important questions about the Zika outbreak. They’re going door-to-door to try to establish whether the virus is causing terrible birth defects.
NPR
February 25, 2016 -
US, Brazilian health teams go into slums to start Zika study
Eight teams, each made up of one “disease detective” from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, work with Brazilian health officials to determine if the Zika virus is causing babies to be born with a birth defect affecting the brain.
Associated Press
February 24, 2016 -
CDC Arrives In Brazil To Investigate Zika Outbreak
On February 22, 2016, a team of U.S. government disease detectives launched an eagerly anticipated research project in Brazil designed to determine whether the Zika virus is really causing a surge of serious birth defects.
NPR
February 22, 2016 -
Zika Virus May Cause Paralysis -Video 3:42
EIS officer Ashley Styczynski talks with Dr. Richard Besser on an ABC News digital about the work she is doing with the Brazilian Ministry of Health to investigate Guillain-Barre syndrome and any possible link with Zika virus.
ABC News
February 15, 2016 -
CDC on highest alert over Zika Virus -Video 2:44
Paige Armstrong, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer, is featured in CDC’s Emergency Operations Center for the Zika response.
CBS46 News
February 9, 2016
Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health Service, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Links to nonfederal organizations or other internet sites are provided solely as a service and do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations, nor their programs, nor products by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content contained at these sites.
Ebola Response
National and International Articles
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StoryCorps Atlanta: Combating Ebola On The Front Lines
Dr. Anne Purfield and Dr. Melissa Rolfes talked about being among the first CDC employees to arrive in Sierra Leone to combat Ebola.”
WABE 90.1 FM
January 26, 2016 -
Can a U.S. military Ebola treatment center slow Ebola in one hard-hit city?
When EIS officer Morgan Hennessey arrived in Ganta, Liberia, Ebola seemed to be in a quiet phase — until another person infected with the virus arrived: “It’s like a fire. It just takes one spark.”
Washington Post
November 2, 2014 -
Ebola outbreak in US unlikely, CDC officer says
EIS officer Deborah Hastings, assigned to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, tells a meeting of healthcare workers the chance of an Ebola epidemic in the United States is rare.
Columbus Telegram
October 30, 2014 -
U.S. Ebola fighters head to Africa, but will the military and civilian effort be enough?
For EIS officer Katie Curran, in rural Sierra Leone, making trips into the bush to meet with village leaders and discuss ways to contain the Ebola virus can be a challenge. Sometimes, there is no road.
Washington Post
October 25, 2014 -
Doctors, aid workers fight Ebola in West Africa, then fear of disease in U.S.
When David Schnabel, EIS officer assigned to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, returned to the U.S. after training Sierra Leoneans on Ebola safety protocols, he didn’t talk much about his trip with people he didn’t know: “I understood the emotional response to Ebola … I consciously was careful who I told.”
Washington Post
October 24, 2014 -
CDC workers share emotional toll of Ebola
In Sierra Leone, EIS officer Michelle Dynes and EIS alum Anne Purfield worked in an office next to an Ebola hospital. Of the many precautions they took to avoid contracting the virus, staying several feet away from people was the most difficult.
11 Alive Atlanta
October 22, 2014 -
When Caring Kills: Ebola Kills Nurses Who Touched Baby
Two EIS officers and an EIS alum talk about how Ebola has turned Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea into countries where giving comfort can be fatal and hospitals are feared as dangerous places.
NBC News
October 21, 2014 -
What We Can Learn from the People Who Are Tracking Ebola
EIS officer Greg Raczniak says the most important aspect of contact tracing is clear communication.
Business Insider
October 20, 2014 -
Brit ‘Disease Detective’ Helps Ebola-Hit Dallas
Dr. Seema Yasmin, an EIS alum and Dallas Morning News reporter, answers city residents’ questions about Ebola.
Sky News
October 15, 2014 -
Disease detectives help contain Ebola in Dallas
Five hours after the first case of Ebola was confirmed in the United States, EIS officer Charnetta Smith was on her way to Dallas as part of a CDC team sent to work alongside local health officials.
USA Today
October 12, 2014 -
On Ebola’s front lines in Liberia
EIS officer Allison Arwady arrived in Liberia as the Ebola epidemic was overwhelming the country’s health care system.
Yale Medicine
October 11, 2014 -
CDC takes to Twitter to answer Ebola concerns
EIS officer Kelsey Mirkovic and other CDC experts use Twitter to answer the public’s questions about Ebola. One response was re-Tweeted 4,000 times.
CBS Evening News
October 8, 2014 -
When Ebola hits, contact tracing is a critical process
EIS officer Kelsey Mirkovic describes how CDC, the World Health Organization, and Doctors Without Borders worked with the Ministry of Health to conduct contact tracing in the wake of Senegal’s first confirmed case of Ebola.
USA Today
October 6, 2014 -
For CDC team in Dallas, the search is on for those who had contact with Ebola patient
EIS officer Matt Karwowski conducts in-person interviews and home visits, gathering details and sharing information to help assess a person’s risk level.
The Washington Post
October 4, 2014 -
Meet a Disease Detective Hunting Ebola in Dallas
In Dallas, Texas, EIS officer Matt Karwowski is a contact tracer—a job that is part medicine, part social work, and part investigator.
Time Magazine
October 3, 20124 -
Ebola en RDC: reportage à Lokolia, épicentre de l’épidémie
Interview with EIS officer Christopher Hsu about his work in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
rfi (in French)
October 2, 2014 -
CDC disease detectives dispatched to West Africa to fight Ebola
EIS officer Leisha Nolen is part of the CDC team working to stop the Ebola virus in West Africa. “This is not going to stop on its own,” she said.
CBS 46 News
September 29, 2014 -
“How Can I Not Go?”: CDC Doctor on Going to Sierra Leone During Ebola Outbreak
EIS officer Kimberly Pringle has been to other global health trouble spots and knows there are risks. But she would rather put her skills to use than watch from the sidelines: “As a global citizen, how can I not go?”
GPB News
September 17, 2014 -
Doctor Shortage Hampers Ebola Fight, Iowa Expert Says
Dr. Samir Koirala, EIS officer assigned to Iowa Department of Health, helped set up an electronic Ebola contact tracking system in Sierra Leone. Dr. Koirala relates his observations, including the severe shortage of health care workers.
The Des Moines Register
September 17, 2014 -
The Reason Ebola Isn’t Being Stopped
EIS officer Rebecca Levine arrives in West Africa with a new system developed by CDC to help make contract tracing—a mainstay in controlling epidemics—more effective.
CNN
September 11, 2014 -
What You Bring When You’re Going into an Ebola Outbreak
EIS officer Rebecca Merrill describes what supplies she packed for her deployment to Liberia.
Time
August 12, 2014 -
Inside the CDC’s Emergency Operations Center Tackling Ebola
Time
August 9, 2014 -
CDC’s disease detectives face dangerous but fulfilling task
EIS alum Dr. Seema Yasmin talks about the dangerous but rewarding work of being an EIS officer.
The Dallas Morning News
August 2, 2014 -
CDC ‘disease detective’ talks about challenges of fighting spread of Ebola virus
EIS officer Leisha Nolen, a pediatrician and genetics researcher, talks about cultural disbelief in the infection and other challenges to fighting the spread of Ebola in West Africa.
The Washington Post
August 1, 2014 -
New Software Tool Helps Track Exposures in Ebola Outbreak
For the first time, disease detectives working on the Ebola outbreak in Guinea and Liberia are using a new software tool to help find people exposed to and possibly infected by the virus.
reliefweb
April 30, 2014
CDC 24/7
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Disease Detective: Erik
EIS officer talks about the impact of Ebola on everyday life in Liberia.
September 30, 2014 -
Disease Detective: Rupa
EIS officer trained medical workers in Guinea to screen river passenger for Ebola symptoms.
September 30, 2014 -
Disease Detective: Ruth
EIS officer will rely on her familiarity with African culture to gain community buy-in during her deployment to Sierra Leone.
September 22, 2014 -
Disease Detective: Rebecca
EIS officer leaves for West Africa with communication equipment to assist in efforts to improve health messaging at the community level.
August 13, 2014 -
Disease Detective: Meredith
EIS officer talks about her first encounter with an Ebola patient during her second tour of duty helping fight Ebola in West Africa.
August 12, 2014 -
Disease Detective: Greg
EIS alum helps with contact tracing, a task vital to controlling the Ebola virus.
August 12, 2014 -
Disease Detective: Kelsey
EIS officer tells about her work as a CDC disease detective responding to the Ebola outbreak.
August 11, 2014 -
Disease Detective: Leisha
EIS officer educated people in West Africa to recognize new cases and prevent spread of Ebola.
August 11, 2014 -
Disease Detective: Kari
EIS officer says teamwork is an important part of controlling the Ebola virus.
August 21, 2014
Radio and Television
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El testimonio de una de las epidemiólogas que estuvo en Guinea estudiando el ébola
EIS alum Dr. Fatima Coronado talks about investigating Ebola in Guinea.
CNN Chile (in Spanish)
November 4, 2014 -
CDC Doctor in Sierra Leone Credits Local Health Workers
EIS officer Kimberly Pringle works with local public health teams in Kenema, Sierra Leone, to help slow the spread of the Ebola virus. Her first and inflexible rule while working in West Africa is “touch no one.”
GPB On Second Thought
October 23, 2014 -
When Holding an Orphaned Baby Can Mean Contracting Ebola
An EIS officer and an alum talk about Ebola’s devastating toll on Sierra Leone’s health care workers: “By the time we arrived, more than 20 nurses had died from Ebola.”
NPR StoryCorps
October 11, 2014 -
CDC’s Ebola workers find funding is strapped
In Sierra Leone, EIS officer Bridgette Gleason has seen tragedy every day. But to really make a difference, “you have to focus on what you can do.”
NPR Marketplace
October 8, 2014 -
Meet the disease detectives tracking Ebola at CDC
Inside CDC’s Emergency Operations Center, EIS officer Aimee Summers is one of about 150 CDC staff members working to keep pace with the Ebola epidemic.
PBS News Hour
October 8, 2014 -
Inside the work of Ebola “Disease Detectives”
As public health officials in Dallas, Texas, continue to track the well-being of people who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus, EIS officer Jennifer Hunter and EIS alum Tracy Creek give some insight into the type of people who do this work.
NPR Marketplace
October 7, 2014 -
Medical experts answer Ebola questions
EIS alum Dr. Seema Yasmin joins Drs. Sanjay Gupta and Ian Lipkin to answer questions about Ebola from social media.
CNN
October 2, 2014 -
CDC doctor talks about Ebola outbreak
EIS officer Leisha Nolen talks about the devastating effects of Ebola in West Africa and efforts to control the virus.
WSB-TV Channel 2 Atlanta
September 19, 2014 -
Tracking the Ebola Virus in West Africa
EIS officer Rebecca “Bex” Levine talks about the stories behind the numbers, the logistical challenges of contact tracing, and the need for resources in the fight against the Ebola virus.
CNN
September 18, 2014 -
Video Diary Part 2: CDC Officer Deploys to Fight Ebola
EIS officer Rebecca “Bex” Levine talks about an Ebola case involving a baby.
CNN
September 18, 2014 -
Video Diary Part 1: CDC Officer on Ebola Fight
EIS officer Rebecca “Bex” Levine describes her deployment to Sierra Leone during the 2014 Ebola outbreak response.
CNN
September 16, 2014 -
Taking a lead role to contain Ebola
EIS officer Meredith Dixon, who had two tours of duty in West Africa, talks about CDC’s efforts on the ground to contain the Ebola epidemic in Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.
Radio New Zealand
August 21, 2014
Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health Service, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Links to nonfederal organizations or other internet sites are provided solely as a service and do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations, nor their programs, nor products by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content contained at these sites.
EIS Disease Detectives at Work
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Victoria Hall Recognized as Scientific Superstar
Victoria Hall is one of 26 scientific superstars recognized among 300 nominations across North America, most notably for her disease detective work in tracking how measles spread through a community of unvaccinated Somali people in Twin Cities, Minnesota. She was also among the first to respond to recent outbreaks of tuberculosis, Seoul virus, and other infectious diseases.
STAT News, 2017 Wunderkinds
October 13, 2017 -
CDC’s EIS program molds clinicians into public health professionals
The EIS program is famous in the medical community for investigating outbreaks around the globe, but the program is less well known by the general public, despite having its boot prints on some of the biggest health crises of the last 60-plus years. EIS is strongly identified with infectious disease outbreaks and further extends into the study of chronic diseases and response to natural disasters. EIS officers are drawn by a desire to make an impact beyond the clinics and hospitals where they work, choosing to earn a government salary for 2 years while doing “interventional epidemiology.” The last two EIS classes have deployed more than 280 times to investigate and respond to epidemics and outbreaks, including in other countries.
Healio Infectious Disease News
June 2017 -
High Phoenix temperatures prompt swim warning: Beware of diarrhea-causing parasite
As temperatures reach record highs in Phoenix this summer, many people are heading to the nearest pool to beat the heat. Sally Ann Iverson, an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assigned to the Maricopa County Public Health Department, shares healthy swimming tips for summer swimmers to prevent the spread of cryptosporidium, a diarrhea-causing parasite.
AZ Central: The Arizona Republic
June 16, 2017 -
Allhands: 4 things we learned from the largest crypto outbreak in state history
Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that causes the diarrheal disease cryptosporidiosis. Commonly known as “crypto,” an outbreak of the disease spread throughout public pools in Maricopa County in 2016—the largest crypto outbreak in Arizona history. Sally Ann Iverson, a CDC EIS officer with Maricopa County Department of Public Health, has assisted with the tracking and prevention of additional cryptosporidiosis outbreaks in the area.
AZCentral: The Arizona Republic
June 1, 2017 -
How to prevent pool water illnesses as summer nears
Sally Ann Iverson, CDC EIS officer assigned to Maricopa County Department of Public Health, interviewed with ABC 15 Arizona about a new CDC report indicating that illnesses from pool water have doubled across the U.S. One state of particular concern is Arizona, with more than 350 cases in 2016, as compared to 62 cases reported in 2015. These illnesses are attributable to Cryptosporidium, which poses a unique challenge for pool sanitation.
ABC 15 Arizona, AZ Central
May 19, 2017 -
Get the lead out: Hundreds suffer poisoning from bullet fragments in their bodies
Debora Weiss, CDC EIS officer assigned to the Wisconsin Division of Public Health, lead a study that identified 457 gunshot-wound victims with elevated levels of lead in their blood. Looking at reports from 41 states between 2003 and 2012, Dr. Weiss and colleagues found that hundreds of people with bullet fragments in their bodies had suffered from lead poisoning. Seventeen people had blood lead levels more than 16 times the limit recommended by the CDC. Before this study, less than 100 cases of lead toxicity from bullet fragments were reported in medical literature.
Washington Post, NBC, Chicago Tribune, CNN
February 9, 2017 -
Americans’ cholesterol, triglyceride levels continue to fall
Improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels are believed to be contributing to declining death rates from cardiovascular diseases. Research conducted by CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer and lead author of the study, Asher Rosinger, and his colleagues suggests that drugs intended to lower cholesterol may not be the reason behind decreasing cholesterol levels. Rosinger and team await data from 2015 and 2016 to determine whether the removal of trans-fatty acids from foods is aiding these improved levels.
Reuters, Live Science, and TCTMD
November 30, 2016 -
Disease detective shares new insights on rare, tick-borne virus
Mary-Margaret Fill, MD, an EIS Officer assigned to the Tennessee Department of Health, leads a study on an emerging and rare infectious disease known as the Heartland virus. Dr. Fill has learned that Heartland virus can cause more severe and widespread infection than originally thought. These findings underscore the importance of taking precautions to prevent tick bites.
Live Science
October 27, 2016 -
How the Polio Vaccine Continues to Change History
This month, unbeknownst to many, one of the largest public health interventions is occurring worldwide, and it is called “The Switch.”
Theworldpost.com
April 25, 2016 -
Cellphone photos are causing more bison charges in Yellowstone, study says
Cellphones may be responsible for an increase in the number of bison-related injuries to Yellowstone National Park visitors last year.
Billingsgazette.com
March 31, 2016 -
Disease detectives: federal workers on the front line of epidemics
Disease outbreaks can strike at any moment, and when that happens the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) is one of the first on the scene. Chief of the EIS Program, Joshua A. Mott, PhD, MA, EMT-P (CAPT, USPHS), is interviewed by Federal News Radio.
FederalNewsRadio.com
March 25, 2016 -
CDC disease detectives arrive in Boston to investigate illness striking Boston’s homeless
A health official said the CDC is interested in the city’s experience because the federal agency is updating guidelines for handling clusters of meningococcal disease, the infection that killed two homeless people in Boston and sickened three others.
The Boston Globe
March 16, 2016 -
The Global Challenge of Cancer
EIS Officer Hilda Razzaghi works to establish cancer registries in low and middle income countries.
CDC Blog
February 2, 2016 -
Oxford Public Health Magazine Issue 2
The Inside the Outbreaks issue of Oxford Public Health magazine (December 2015) is a special issue dedicated to the front-line of public health, the field epidemiologists, also known as “intervention epidemiologists” and “disease detectives”. Stories of a few current and former Epidemic Intelligence Service officers are covered.
Oxford Public Health magazine
December 2015 -
How animals can give you tuberculosis
In 2014, an estimated 9.6 million people were infected by tuberculosis, according to the World Health Organization.
CNN.com
December 23, 2015 -
Leprosy Still Occurs in U.S., CDC Reports
Approximately 100 new cases of leprosy are reported in the United States each year, according to a CDC study. EIS officer Leisha Nolen was the lead researcher.
Philly.com
October 31, 2014 -
Meet the CDC’s SWAT Team
Since 1951, the “shoe leather epidemiologists” of the EIS have been on the public health front lines.
Washington Post
October 16, 2014 -
The Case of the Nutty Dish: A Science Radio Detective Story
EIS alum Phil Graitcer developed a radio piece highlighting deductive reasoning and investigating an outbreak.
PRX Blog
October 13, 2014 -
Common Childhood Vaccine Cuts “Superbug” Infection: Study
EIS officer is lead researcher on study suggesting childhood pneumoccal vaccine reduces antibiotic-resistant infections for children younger than 5 years.
HealthDay
October 10, 2014 -
Disease Detectives Investigate Outbreaks at Home and Abroad
EIS alum Dr. Seema Yasmin writes about what it’s like to be the medical sleuths of CDC—the young doctors, veterinarians, scientists, and other health professionals who work behind the scenes but sometimes are put into the limelight.
Scientific American Guest Blog
October 10, 2014 -
Public Health Professor Brings CDC Experience, Expertise
EIS alum Seema Yasmin has joined the University of Texas–Dallas faculty. Dr. Yasmin also covers public health as a staff writer at The Dallas Morning News.
UT Dallas News Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
October 10, 2014 -
How disease detectives find the source of outbreaks like enterovirus, Ebola
EIS officer Dan Pasula and EIS alum Jennifer McQuiston talk about the process of investigating and solving medical mysteries and stopping outbreaks.
Colorado Public Radio
October 6, 2014 -
What Two Epidemic Intelligence Service Trainees Learned From Solving the Case of “The Nutty Dish”
Training for new EIS officers includes reviewing and investigating old outbreak cases.
Sound Medicine Radio
October 4, 2014 -
The Making of the Disease Detectives, or the Case of the Nutty Dish
In this dramatization, two new EIS officers solve a case study about a Salmonella outbreak as they train to become disease detectives. (Transcript)
PRX Public Radio Exchange
August 26, 2014 -
CDC ‘disease detectives’ probing overdose data to help R.I. stem mounting fatalities
Providence Journal
April 17, 2014 -
Malaria cases reach 40-year high in U.S.
Vaccine News Daily
February 4, 2014 -
Former EIS Officer receives Lifetime Achievement Award in Hemodialysis
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
January 31, 2014 -
Premature infants on parenteral nutrition among the casualties in zinc shortage
Family Practice News
January 17, 2014
Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health Service, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Links to nonfederal organizations or other internet sites are provided solely as a service and do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations, nor their programs, nor products by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content contained at these sites.
EIS Conferences
2017
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CDC’s EIS program molds clinicians into public health professionals
Healio Infectious Disease News
June 2017 -
“Like a kid in a candy store”: EIS officers explain matching process
Healio Infectious Disease News
June 2017 -
“Like winning the lottery”: EIS officers explain getting accepted into CDC program
Healio Infectious Disease News
June 2017 -
“Bring it on!” Presenting at the EIS conference can be daunting, officers say
Healio Infectious Disease News
June 2017 -
Babies Born Addicted to Opioids Often Struggle With Learning
HealthDay
May 3, 2017 -
CDC Finds Bacteria for Legionnaire’s in Cooling Towers Across U.S.
The Wall Street Journal
May 3, 2017 -
Top 5 Contagion News Articles for the Week of April 23, 2017
Contagion Live Infectious Diseases Today
April 28, 2017 -
Overlooked opioid deaths emerging
Herald Dispatch
April 28, 2017 -
US- and foreign-born teens show comparable vaccination rates
Healio Infectious Diseases in Children
April 28, 2017 -
CDC Pilot Study Explores National Burden of HAIs in US Nursing Homes
Contagion Live Infectious Diseases Today
April 27, 2017 -
Influenza-related death most common in children younger than 2 years
Healio Infectious Disease News
April 27, 2017 -
Haiti still prone to cholera despite improved water sources
Healio Infectious Disease News
April 27, 2017 -
Pertussis incidence highest among infants younger than 2 months
Healio Infectious Disease News
April 27, 2017 -
NY, NJ hotspot for deadly superbug fungus
WDEF News 12
April 27, 2017 -
CDC: Prescription Drug Abuse Mortality Rates Skewed by Death Certs
MPR News
April 27, 2017 -
Editorial: Count for opioid deaths likely underestimated
Herald-Dispatch
April 27, 2017 -
‘An iceberg’: The opioid crisis could be even worse than anyone thought
Business Insider
April 27, 2017 -
Deadly Superbug Threat – Candida auris
April 27, 2017 -
Deadly ‘superbug’ fungus hits U.S. hospitals
FierceHealthcare
April 27, 2017 -
University Mumps Outbreak Prevails Despite High 2-Dose MMR Coverage
Contagion Live Infectious Diseases Today -
Science Olympiad National Champions Visit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
East Greenbush Central School District
April 26, 2017 -
Opioid addiction may have been underestimated by specialists
Council Chronicle
April 26, 2017 -
The opioid epidemic may be even deadlier than we think
Vox
April 26, 2017 -
The scariest superbug on the CDC’s radar is a deadly fungus – spreading in New York and New Jersey, officials reveal
DailyMail
April 26, 2017 -
Deadly superbug Fungus hits Tri-State hospitals, CDC says
CBS New York
April 26, 2017 -
Deadly fungus becomes new menace for in US Hospitals
Managed Care Magazine
April 26, 2017 -
Vaccine-type HPV prevalence in US declines 65% among young women
Healio Infectious Disease News
April 26, 2017 -
Dispatches from the Front Lines: CDC’s Disease Detectives Conference
Infection Control Today
April 25, 2017 -
National opioid epidemic may be worse than estimated
Cleveland.com
April 25, 2017 -
Cherokee Nation sues drug distributors while CDC claims opioid deaths are underreported
Catholic.org
April 25, 2017 -
Measles Outbreaks Can Occur in Intense Exposure Settings Despite High Immunity Levels
Contagion Live Infectious Diseases Today
April 25, 2017 -
Opioid epidemic ‘is underestimated’: CDC report warns current data is just the tip of the iceberg as many drug deaths are not recorded
Daily News
April 25, 2017 -
Opioid-related deaths may be underreported, says CDC investigator
April 25, 2017 -
Opioid-Related Deaths Might Be Underestimated: CDC
April 25, 2017 -
‘Superbug’ Fungus New Menace in US Hospitals, Mostly NY, NJ
Associated Press
April 25, 2017 - CDC’s disease detectives meet to talk solved mysteries
STAT News, Morning Rounds email newsletter
April 25, 2017 -
At 91 Overdose Deaths A Day, Opioid Epidemic May Still Be Underestimated: CDC Report
Tech Times
April 24, 2017 -
Study Shows First Statistical Evidence for Herd Protection from HPV Vaccine
Contagion Live Infectious Diseases Today
April 24, 2017 -
Deaths from Infections May be Masking Opioid Deaths
NBC News
April 24, 2017 -
CDC Still Searches for Cause of Mysterious Polio-Like Illness
NewsMax
April 24, 2017 -
CDC Still Stumped by Cause of Mystery Paralysis in Kids
NBC News
April 24, 2017 -
Opioid epidemic may be underestimated, CDC report says
CNN
April 24, 2017
2016
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CDC Provides Zika Resources for Researchers, Healthcare Providers, and the Public
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) learns more about the threat of Zika virus infection on pregnant women and their growing fetuses, it will continue to share its knowledge with researchers, healthcare providers and the public.
Contagion Infectious Diseases Today
May 05, 2016 -
CDC: Providers should consider Zika in returning US Travelers
Health officials are urging providers to be more aware of Zika virus in travelers returning to the United States, and to inform patients about the potential risks associated with the disease and how to reduce exposure to mosquitoes in areas with active Zika virus transmission.
Meeting News Coverage
May 4, 2016 -
New Evidence of Link Between Zika and Guillain-Barré
There is new evidence that Zika may cause Guillain-Barré syndrome, according to findings presented at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference, held from May 2 to 5 in Atlanta.
DoctorsLounge
May 6, 2016 -
Novel orthopoxvirus discovered in Alaska patient
Investigators for the CDC and the Alaska Division of Public Health discovered that a patient living in a remote area of Alaska was infected with a novel species of orthopoxvirus.
Healio Infectious Disease News
May 9, 2016 -
Outbreak of Guillain-Barré syndrome in Brazil suggests Zika association
Researchers investigating a 2015 outbreak of Guillain-Barré syndrome in Brazil found that it was much more prevalent than expected — and saw signs that it may be associated with Zika virus.
Healio Infectious Disease News
May 5, 2016 -
How Many Americans Floss Their Teeth?
Americans can now be scientifically divided into three categories: Those who floss daily, those who never floss and those who fall somewhere in between.
U.S. News Report
May 2, 2016
2015
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2014 outbreak at US-Mexico border linked to S. pneumoniae serotype 5
Healio Infectious Disease News
April 30, 2015 -
Prompt contact tracing disrupts Ebola virus transmission into Senegal
Healio Infectious Disease News
April 28, 2015 -
Chickungunya common among US volunteers in Dominican Republic
Healio Infectious Disease News
April 24, 2015 -
CDC experts present public health findings in Atlanta
Vaccine News Daily
April 22, 2015 -
Online meet-up services linked to increased syphilis transmission among MSM
Healio Infectious Disease News
April 22, 2015 -
What it takes to become a CDC disease detective
Mother Nature Network
April 22, 2015
2014
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Disease Detective: Tracing Infection Back to Your Seafood
National Geographic
May 9, 2014 -
New Orthopoxvirus Discovered
Science
May 9, 2014 -
New Poxvirus Found
Nature
May 8, 2014 -
Brand New Smallpox-Related Virus Emerges In Country Of Georgia
Huffington Post
May 5, 2014 -
Bioterror Threat? New Smallpox-Related Virus Raises Alarms
Live Science
May 2, 2014 -
Smallpox Cousin Infects People in Georgia
Guardian Liberty Voice
May 2, 2014 -
Last remaining smallpox samples await destruction, but scientists plea for reprieve
The Independent (UK)
May 2, 2014 -
New Smallpox-Like Virus Discovered
Newser
May 1, 2014 -
CDC reports 3 human cases caused by new orthopoxvirus
University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy
May 1, 2014 -
CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference Dissects Foster Farms Salmonella Outbreak
Food Safety News
May 1, 2014 -
New Virus Related To Smallpox Is Found In Republic Of Georgia
NPR
May 1, 2014
This story also aired on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s website and on KPBS in San Diego. -
In praise of CDC’s heroic ‘disease detectives’
Fox News
April 30, 2014 -
Backyard Chickens Linked to Salmonella Outbreaks, CDC Says
NBC News
April 29, 2014
Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health Service, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Links to nonfederal organizations or other internet sites are provided solely as a service and do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations, nor their programs, nor products by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content contained at these sites.
Hometown Heroes
2017
- Robin Cree
Newark Grad Part of CDC’s ‘Disease Detectives’
September 14, 2017
Newark Native, Robyn Cree, begins her work as a CDC disease detective who analyzes children’s mental health issues and addresses the needs of children during public health emergencies. The inspiration for her career path and her love for science were spawned by a teacher who made science fun in her Newark High School chemistry class. Cree is grateful for a mentor who introduced her to CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service during her undergraduate internship. Cree earned her doctorate in chronic disease epidemiology. - Elisabeth Hesse
Moses Lake Native Accepted to CDC Program
September 12, 2017
Elisabeth Hesse reaches a career milestone by joining CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, following eight years of service to the U.S. Army where she taught techniques to improve public health. Her work as a disease detective will involve analyzing data and investigating immunization safety issues. Hesse’s early interest in science and medicine prompted her participation in Frontier Middle School’s Science Olympiad team, where she placed in the national competition. She credits her biology and chemistry teachers at Moses Lake High School for nurturing her interest in science. - Audrey Pennington
Santa Rosa native joins CDC’s prestigious ‘disease detectives’
September 1, 2017
Audrey Pennington attributes her career path to great teachers, who fostered her affinity for math and science through AP-level course work at Santa Rosa High in Santa Rosa, CA. Today and for the next two years, she gets to fulfill her dream of being a disease detective for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In her undergraduate studies, Pennington embraced public health as a way to improve health at a population level, which also inspired her MPH and Ph.D. in epidemiology from Emory University. - David Jackson
Mountain Brook native enters elite CDC training program
August 26, 2017
During his time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the West African nation of Ivory Coast, David Jackson witnessed pressing health needs, and lead him to pursue medical school in Alabama. A native of Mountain Brook, AL, Jackson had dreamed of being a doctor since his days at Mountain Brook High School. Today, he is one of the newest disease detectives at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) helping to improve safety in workplaces with a focus on chemical and biological exposures. Prior to his work at CDC, Jackson joined the U.S. Public Health Service and worked as a physician in Navajo Reservation in northeast Arizona. - Aimee Summers
Portland grad playing a critical role in fighting Ebola in West Africa
May 19, 2017
From Ukraine to Kenya to Senegal, Aimee Summers, an EIS officer at CDC, has been deployed all over the world to respond to outbreaks and health threats. During the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa that killed more than 11,000 people, she led CDC’s on-site Dead Body Management in Liberia. Summers views these experiences as rewarding opportunities, stemming back to her studies and influencers at Portland High School (Class of 2000). - Jessica Healy
How a Redlands native is helping Puerto Rico with Zika virus outbreak
May 5, 2017
The work of a Redlands native can now be used by health officials in Puerto Rico to help families impacted by the Zika virus. Jessica Healy, an Epidemic Intelligence Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, presented her research last week to colleagues during the 66th annual EIS Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Healy spent a month in Puerto Rico investigating the number of people infected with the mosquito-borne virus that has spread across Caribbean countries as well as South and Central Americas. - Victoria Hall
Newtown native discovers flaw in opioid-death count
April 28, 2017
New research suggests that some opioid deaths involving infectious disease may be missed by state surveillance, leading to an underestimate of the burden nationwide opioid epidemic that, according to the most recent statistics, already claims about 90 lives per day. Victoria Hall, a Newtown native and CDC epidemic intelligence service officer, discussed the findings at the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 66th annual Epidemic Intelligence Service conference in Atlanta.
2016
- Emily Pieracci
Former Richland woman makes difference through CDC
October 2, 2016
Emily Pieracci has turned her childhood love of animals and science and into an extraordinary career, one that’s sent her around the world and made an unquestionable difference. Building on her years of education and experience, Emily became a CDC disease detective in 2014, providing aid in CDC’s emergency response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Emily recently accepted a veterinary epidemiologist position at CDC. Her work includes training and education, from helping communities develop surveillance systems to recognize potential infection in people and animals, to teaching veterinarians to better identify and deal with rabid dogs. - Mary-Margaret Fill
Alumni Spotlight – Disease Detective-School of Medicine Graduate Investigates, Addresses Outbreaks for CDC [PDF – 44 pages]
REACH Mercer University Health Sciences Center, Volume 3
Spring 2016
In Mary-Margaret Fill’s role as a CDC disease detective, she works with the Tennessee Department of Health and local partners to identify and address communicable and environmental diseases threats within the community. Dr. Fill was drawn to the EIS program as a means to expand her sphere of influence beyond her clinical practice to make a greater impact. She realizes that working at the state level puts her in a position to impact a broader population through policy and programmatic interventions, work closely with local partners and stay abreast of what happens in the community. - Paige Armstrong
Investigating the ‘what’ and ‘where’ of disease outbreaks- The Redding Pilot
June 20, 2016
Redding-native Dr. Paige Armstrong never expected to become an expert in the field of fungal diseases, but lately, she’s been focusing on exactly that. - Sara Oliver
Disease Detective: Alumna Sara Oliver joins CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service
June 17, 2016
Sara E. Oliver, M.D., MSPH, has always had an interest in public health. After a medical mission trip to South America following her first year of medical school, Oliver realized she was more intrigued by the population-level health care challenges she encountered. - Lauri Hicks
CDC’S Lauri Hicks ’95 Tackles the Dangers Imposed by the Misuse of Antibiotics
January 21, 2016
Seven decades ago, antibiotics arrived on the market as a life-saving remedy to common infectious diseases. Due to overuse or improper use, however, antibiotics are losing their effectiveness against new bacteria strains. - Matthew Ritchey
The ABCS of heart health
January 21, 2016
Matthew Ritchey takes a big-picture view of our hearts. A senior epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ritchey conducts research related to national cardiovascular health projects such as the Million Hearts initiative.
2015
- Emily Ussery
Beaumont native sees end of Ebola in Sierra Leone
December 30, 2015
Emily Ussery watched as weary faces broke into smiles for the first time in months when Sierra Leone was declared Ebola free the past November. The 34-year-old Beaumont native volunteered through a program with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to travel to the West African country in October to ensure the outbreak was coming to an end. - Dana Olzenak
A Drexel Dragon Turned Disease Detective
December 8, 2015
How do you combine backgrounds in physical therapy and epidemiology to find a career that allows you to call upon both skill sets? Dana Olzenak ’06, an alumna of Drexel’s Post Professional DPT, carved a path that does just that – and on the front lines of public health, no less. - Katharine Benedict
Kathy Benedict: Disease Detective
December 1, 2015
For many Americans, 2014’s Ebola epidemic in West Africa began and ended with the four imported cases reported in the United States. For the people of Sierra Leone and neighboring countries, it’s an ongoing health crisis—a crisis that Kathy Benedict (Ph.D. ’11, D.V.M. ’13) and her fellow Epidemic Intelligence Service officers were charged with combating for six weeks earlier this year. - Anita and Kanta Sircar
Sisters fight diseases around the world
Palos Verdes Peninsula News
November 10, 2015
Anita Sircar has looked up to her older sister, Kanta, her entire life. Whatever Kanta did, Anita wanted to do, such as volunteering at food banks and charity drives together during high school. - Julie Self – NCEZID/DFWED
Macon native ready for focus as CDC ‘disease detective’
Macon Telegraph
Monday September 8, 2015
A zest for childhood mystery novels and a penchant for problem solving has thrust Julie Castles Self to a global front. From pecking away at the keyboard well after midnight as a teen growing up in Macon, she is now focused on finding ways to fight back pandemics and pathogens that threaten us all. - Kate Russell – NCIRD
Atlanta bound as a CDC detective
Scarborough Leader
Friday, August 21, 2015
Kate Russell, a 2002 graduate of Scarborough High School, will always consider Scarborough home, but for the next two years she will be living in Atlanta working as a Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. - Mark Laughlin
West Shore Sun
August 20, 2015
Westlake native is CDC disease detective: Westlake native Mark Laughlin is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2015 class of Epidemic Intelligence Service officers. - Lillianne Lewis – NCEH
People in the news: Lillianne Lewis
The True Citizen
August 19, 2015
Dr. Lillianne Lewis is now part of the Centers for Disease Control’s 2015 class of Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officers. - Saleena Subaiya
Subaiya Joins ‘Disease Detectives’ Force
The Roslyn News
August 19, 2015
Roslyn resident Saleena Subaiya is not just another physician. Subaiya is on the front lines of public health, working across both the United States and at global destinations to keep the world’s peoples safe from a variety of health threats, including outbreak investigations for emerging disease threats, global health, chronic disease and injury prevention. - Lawrence Purpura
The Almanac
August 17,2015
Also known as CDC’s “disease detectives,” only about 60 EIS officers are selected each year from a highly competitive national candidate pool of medical doctors, veterinarians and PhD recipients. EIS officers work across the United States and around the globe to keep Americans safe from a variety of health threats. All of the EIS officers in the 2014 class were involved in the Ebola response. - Alaine Knipes – DGHP
Shutesbury native joins elite Centers for Disease Control team
Amherst Bulletin
Sunday, August 16, 2015
During her education in Shutesbury and Amherst schools and eventually at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Alaine Knipes learned that she loved French and biology. Now, she uses her skills in both fields as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer — an elite group known as “disease detectives” — for the federal Centers for Disease Control. - Shannon Novosad – NCEZID/DHQP
Opelika native begins fellowship as CDC officer
Opelika-Auburn News
Friday, August 15, 2015
Serving others has long been a priority for Shannon Novosad. The Opelika native said she realized her passion for people and love for science at an early age, and by high school, the young scholar had developed an interest in studying medicine. Little did the Opelika High marching band fanatic know she’d eventually obtain a biology degree from Tulane University and then graduate medical school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before starting a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control. - Jason Lake – NCEZID / DHQP
Gainesville man sleuths for sickness at CDC
Gainesville Times
Friday, August 14, 2015
A Gainesville native has joined an elite fellowship program of “disease detectives” at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Selected each year from a highly competitive pool of hundreds of medical doctors, veterinarians and PhD recipients, Epidemic Intelligence Service officers work across the country and around the world to keep Americans safe from a variety of health threats. - Joel Massey – CSELS (State DOH)
North Mesquite grad becomes CDC ‘detective’
Mesquite Times
Thursday, August 13, 2015
When an epidemic strikes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is usually called into action to assess the situation, determine the best solution and how to prevent it from spreading or reoccurring. One of those on the front lines is 1997 North Mesquite High School grad Dr. Joel Massey. - Malini DeSilva
Former Topekan working as ‘disease detective’
The Topeka Capital-Journal
May 16, 2015
Topeka native Malini DeSilva has traveled around the United States — and the world — as a disease detective. DeSilva, 34, works as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Page last reviewed: October 16, 2017
- Page last updated: October 16, 2017
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