About DEISS

The Division of Emerging Infections and Surveillance Services (DEISS) helps build and enhance collaborative partnerships and programs to improve public health capacity for preventing and responding to infectious disease threats. Comprising a broad range of domestic and international programs, the division involves partnerships across CDC and with external organizations both nationally and globally. Examples of these programs and partnerships include the following:

Domestic and Global Programs to Address Emerging Infectious Diseases

DEISS supports several national and global programs aimed at strengthening capacity to detect and respond to emerging infections. These include the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases program (ELC) and the domestic and international emerging infections programs (Emerging Infections Program (EIP) and International Emerging Infections Program (IEIP). The ELC is a cooperative agreement program designed to improve infectious disease surveillance by building epidemiologic, laboratory, and information systems capacity. Begun in 1995 with funding to 10 states, the ELC now funds health departments in all 50 states, 6 large cities, Puerto Rico, and the Republic of Palau.

The EIPs represent a network of state health departments and their collaborators in local health departments, public health laboratories, and clinical laboratories; infection control professionals; healthcare providers; and academic institutions. Begun in 1995, the EIP network currently comprises 10 sites: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee. On a global level, the IEIPs are regional centers of excellence established through partnerships between the host countries’ ministries of health and CDC, with additional partners such as local universities, medical research institutions, and US overseas military laboratories. The first IEIP site was established in Thailand in 2001 and the second in Kenya in 2004. Additional programs are now operational in Bangladesh, China, Egypt, and Guatemala.

Arctic Investigations Program (AIP)

Arctic Investigations Program (AIP)’s priorities focus on infectious disease surveillance, public health research, emergency preparedness and response, and health communication and education for Arctic populations. Major programs include surveillance of invasive bacterial diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, and groups A and B streptococci; studies on pneumococcal disease and use of the PCV7 and PCV13 pneumococcal vaccines; and sentinel surveillance for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. AIP was highly involved in the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008, which focused attention on health issues and related preventive strategies for Arctic communities.

Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR)

Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) is a strategy of the World Health Organization’s African Regional Office (WHO AFRO), adopted by member states in 1998 to coordinate and streamline surveillance activities and resources. In an IDSR system, one focal person at each level of a health system collects surveillance information on priority infectious diseases and reports this information to the next level. Countries then use this surveillance information to make decisions and plan public health interventions.

Fellowships and Training Programs

DEISS supports several infectious disease fellowships and training programs, including two post-graduate and post-doctoral laboratory fellowships cosponsored with the Association of Public Health Laboratories and the American Society for Microbiology. In collaboration with the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools, DEISS cosponsors the James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, which provides educational and laboratory opportunities for racial and ethnic minority students from across the country. In July 2009, over 200 CDC staff members, fellows, and friends celebrated the 20th anniversary of the James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program.

Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal (EID)

Representing the scientific communication component of CDC’s efforts to address emerging infections, the Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal (EID) makes a substantial contribution to the biomedical literature. This free-access journal has more than 50,000 print and online subscribers, and has been rated among the most-cited infectious disease journals for several years.

Office of Minority and Women's Health (OMWH)

The Office of Minority and Women's Health works to promote health equity and to identify and address infectious disease disparities and the social determinants of infectious diseases through research, surveillance, education, training, and program development. OMWH collaborates with internal and external partners to address the needs of populations with high infectious disease burdens, such as racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, and women.