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Infectious diseases seem to lurk everywhere—in undercooked hamburgers, on
unwashed hands, or carried by blood, water, ticks, or mosquitoes. Some, like
the pathogens that cause influenza or syphilis, have preyed on humans for
centuries. Others like West Nile virus or hantavirus are relatively new or
emerging threats. Old threats like tuberculosis have adapted to the drugs we
use against them, making harder to treat and more dangerous.
The combination of improved hygiene and sanitation, vaccinations, and
antibiotics has helped turn the tide against infectious diseases in this
country, but new diseases and the resurgence of old ones make infectious
diseases a constant threat. To counter this threat, CDC has worked to
increase the capacity of laboratories and surveillance systems here and
abroad to detect and monitor changes in disease patterns and to serve as an
early warning system (e.g., the ever-present threat of an influenza pandemic
is monitored not only in the United States but in surveillance centers in
Asia).
Outside of the laboratory, CDC promotes control of vectors like
mosquitoes and ticks. CDC also has worked with public and private partners
to change the way antibiotics are prescribed and used, and to help maintain
the usefulness of existing anti-microbial drugs in hospitals and other
settings. Combinations of all of these tools—epidemiology, partnerships,
education of healthcare providers and patients, and vector control—are used
to counter the spread of specific infectious disease threats ranging from
sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis and chlamydia to bloodborne
threats like hepatitis C. Together, these tools can help us control existing
infectious disease threats and prepare for the new ones that we know are
always emerging.
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