Global Disease Detection (GDD) Operations Center
The GDD Operations Center is an innovative epidemic intelligence and response operations unit located at CDC headquarters. It uses non-traditional surveillance methods to provide early warning about international disease threats so that CDC can rapidly respond to protect public health in the United States and the global community.
Through its surveillance function, the GDD Operations Center in Atlanta is often the first to alert CDC staff (based in Atlanta and internationally) about a disease outbreak. The GDD Operations Center utilizes multiple sources of information about disease events, including internet-based media reports, scanned for key words in over 50 languages. To investigate and confirm the existence of these outbreaks, the GDD Operations Center relies on a global network, including CDC subject matter experts and their international networks, WHO headquarters and regional offices, and other international partners.The GDD Operations Center also participates in the Biosurveillance Indications and Warning Analytic Community, a U.S. government interagency collaboration that allows 12 agencies to exchange information through a password protected Web-based portal. It is also CDC’s liaison with Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), receiving and responding to requests for international assistance to control disease outbreaks.
In 2010, the GDD Operations Center outbreak response contingency fund supported the deployment of CDC experts to 14 countries to respond to 17 outbreaks that included:
- Aflatoxin
- Avian influenza (H5N1)
- Anthrax
- Botulism
- Cholera
- Earthquake response
- Fungal investigation
- Hepatitis E virus
- Lead poisoning
- Legionella
- Measles
- Meningitis
- Nodding disease
- Polio
- Q fever
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