About the Division of Bacterial Diseases

Key points

  • The Division of Bacterial Diseases (DBD) works to prevent and control vaccine-preventable and other respiratory bacterial diseases.
  • The division works domestically and globally with a wide variety of partners.
  • Learn more about DBD's mission, priorities, areas of work, and leadership.

Our mission

The mission of DBD is to prevent and control illness and death from vaccine-preventable and other respiratory bacterial diseases, in the United States and worldwide, through leadership in epidemiologic and laboratory science and policy.

DBD plays a critical role in:

  • Outbreak response
  • Surveillance and epidemiologic research
  • Laboratory diagnosis and pathogen characterization
  • Vaccine development

DBD provides scientific support for development of vaccine policy and public health guidance to control vaccine-preventable and other respiratory bacterial diseases nationally and globally.

What we do

Outbreak Response and Prevention: We respond to cases, clusters, and outbreaks in support of state, local, and international partners while promoting prevention measures.

Surveillance: We conduct national surveillance of bacterial respiratory diseases and pathogens such as:

  • Bacterial meningitis
  • Diphtheria
  • Invasive pneumococcal disease
  • Legionnaires' disease
  • Pertussis

Laboratory: Our scientists support public health lab capacity building, develop advanced molecular techniques, and provide laboratory testing for diseases such as:

  • Legionnaires' disease
  • Meningococcal disease
  • Pertussis
  • Pneumococcal disease
  • Streptococcal infections

Vaccines: We facilitate use of scientific evidence to inform vaccine policy and evaluate vaccine impact.

Priorities

DBD is CDC's primary unit responsible for bacterial respiratory and vaccine-preventable diseases. In addition to serving as experts in the area of bacterial respiratory and vaccine-preventable disease issues, we:

Accelerate the development, introduction, and evaluation of vaccines against bacterial respiratory diseases in the United States and globally. Diseases include:

  • Pneumonia
  • Meningitis
  • Neonatal sepsis
  • Related syndromes

Identify, assess, and implement advanced and innovative approaches to improve and expand laboratory, statistical, and epidemiological science.

Maintain and strengthen the following to ensure effective prevention and control of bacterial respiratory diseases in the United States and globally:

  • Surveillance
  • Early detection
  • Investigation
  • Response
  • Policy development

Efficiently and effectively support public health programs and research through excellence in management and operations functions.

Inform the public and scientific community about bacterial respiratory diseases in the United States and globally through effective communications and policy approaches.

Our work

Where we work

DBD works in states and territories across the United States and numerous countries around the world.

Who we work with

Examples of who we collaborate closely with include:

  • State and local health departments
  • Ministries of health
  • Other global partners, such as:
    • World Health Organization
    • Pan American Health Organization
  • Non-governmental organizations, such as:
    • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    • Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Areas of work

Atypical pneumonias

Groups A and B Streptococcus

Legionellosis / Legionella

Surveillance system

Vaccine-preventable diseases

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Content Source:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD); About NCIRD; NCIRD Divisions and Offices