DVBD Stories

These stories illustrate the work CDC is doing to advance public health across the United States and around the globe. CDC experts work with states, territories, and other partners to detect and respond to outbreaks, train professionals, provide technical assistance, and strengthen health systems that prevent and control vector-borne diseases.

Spotlight: Zika virus

Zika virus, virtually unheard of before 2015, has been causing outbreaks in the United States, several territories, and many countries. Zika infection during pregnancy can cause a birth defect called microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. Though it is primarily spread through infected mosquitoes, people can also get Zika through sex with an infected partner.

CDC, including DVBD staff, have led the US response to Zika, contributing to laboratory diagnosis, increased surveillance, mosquito control efforts, prevention, and education.

• Zika: What you need to know

Spotlight: Plague

A universally feared disease for centuries, plague caused millions of deaths and at least three major pandemics around the world. Outbreaks represented disaster for people living in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Until the cause of plague was known, plague outbreaks contributed to massive panic in cities and countries where it appeared.

We now know that the bacterium Yersinia pestis causes plague and often infects small rodents (like rats, mice, and squirrels). Plague is usually spread to people through the bite of an infected flea. Small, local plague outbreaks still occur in the southwestern United States, and it is a significant health threat in parts of Africa and Asia. DVBD works with public health officials in Uganda to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention—learning lessons that could help us respond to natural and bioterrorist uses of plague.

• Protect yourself from plague [PDF – 2 pages]

CDC features

• Dengue: Avoid dengue by preventing mosquito bites
• Lyme disease: Prevent Lyme disease
• Mosquito bites: Prevent mosquito bites
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever: RMSF is deadly, but preventable
• Tick bites: Stop ticks
• West Nile virus
• Yellow fever: Need a yellow fever vaccine? Plan ahead.

Outbreak response

• Plague: An unexplained spike in an old disease [PDF – 16 pages]
• Q fever: Q fever at a dairy [PDF – 12 pages]
• Louis encephalitis virus and West Nile virus: One outbreak, two viruses [PDF – 16 pages]
• Tularemia: Rabbit fever on the rise [PDF – 16 pages]
• Zika: Controlling mosquitoes in Florida [PDF – 20 pages]
• Zika: Leading the response to the outbreak of Zika [PDF – 20 pages]

International work

• Vector-borne disease surveillance and research in Uganda expands laboratory capacity

Innovative technologies

• Dengue: A new and more accurate diagnostic test for dengue virus [PDF – 28 pages]
• Insect repellent: Finding an unlikely ingredient to prevent insect and tick bites (see pages 18-19) [PDF – 32 pages]
• Rickettsial diseases: Testing for the world’s deadliest tickborne disease (see pages 20-21) [PDF – 32 pages]
• Yellow fever: A faster, easier screening test [PDF – 28 pages]
• Zika: Diagnosing Zika [PDF – 20 pages]

Advanced molecular detection in action

CDC’s Advanced Molecular Detection (AMD) program is transforming disease detection and response. Through technological innovation, CDC continually advances safeguards for America’s health. DVBD uses AMD methods to discover new pathogens, develop new diagnostic methods, identifying emerging threats, and much more.

• Bourbon virus: AMD shows ticks likely spread Bourbon virus
• Dengue and chikungunya: Using AMD to track changes in dengue and chikungunya viruses
• Tickborne diseases: Discovering and tracking tickborne diseases
• Zika virus: CDC scientists use AMD methods to develop diagnostic tools for Zika virus