The Program is responsible for monitoring and controlling infectious diseases in general, including diseases that can be prevented with vaccines such as measles, rubella, pertussis and hepatitis B, diseases that cause diarrhea and vomiting (salmonellosis, listeriosis, cholera), diseases caused by fungi (valley fever), and diseases caused by bacteria-related toxins (botulism, food poisoning).

The Program:

• Maintains a registry of notifiable communicable diseases;
• Provides data and statistics on selected reportable infectious diseases by monitoring disease trends through surveillance and epidemiologic investigations;
• Provides technical assistance to local and tribal health departments regarding prevention and control of disease caused by infectious agents and microbial toxins; 
• Provides information for health care providers and disease information for the public;
• Promulgates rules for communicable diseases as needed;
• Facilitates release of botulism and diphtheria antitoxins from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for suspected cases; and 
• Serves as the liaison with the appropriate branches of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on communicable diseases.

Specific program activities include:

• Antibiotic resistance surveillance and prevention;
• Food-borne illness surveillance;
• Influenza surveillance;
• Vaccine-preventable disease surveillance.