NCEZID: Targeting Infectious Disease Around The World

NCEZID scientists are in the forefront of global outbreak response, reducing the spread of diseases that cross borders, because as the Ebola and Zika epidemics have demonstrated, an outbreak overseas is only a plane ride away. Our scientists also strengthen health security in the United States by focusing on pathogens (like anthrax or plague) that could be intentionally spread by bioterrorists.

What we’re doing:

• Lead major outbreak responses, providing the technical expertise and workforce for major outbreaks like cholera, Ebola, and Zika.
  • 500+ NCEZID staff deployed to Zika response
  • 1,000+ NCEZID staff deployed to West Africa for Ebola response
• During the 2014 Ebola outbreak, NCEZID worked with Sierra Leone to fast-track development of a national program to decrease the spread of Ebola in healthcare facilities. The program’s success led Sierra Leone to add trained infection prevention staff to 25 government hospitals and 14 districts, ensuring that infection prevention and control remain a priority in healthcare.
• We’ve developed many new tests with partners that have helped us respond faster to outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases including Zika, Ebola, yellow fever, dengue, and plague.
• Our ePathology service lets our pathology experts share a microscope with scientists across the globe and provide real-time consultation for urgent cases or rarely seen pathogens.
• Strengthen public health systems to prevent global spread of disease, including robust surveillance systems to pick up diseases, disease detectives who can trace the source of the outbreak, and responsive and effective laboratories that provide confirmation.
• Reduce illness and death among US travelers, expatriates, and other globally mobile populations.