Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology Mission and Overview of Related Branches

Mission

Our mission is to prevent and control communicable diseases by:

• Promoting epidemiology, surveillance, education, risk stratification/communication, consultation, and disease interventions;
• Building strong partnerships within DSHS (central and regional) and with local, state and federal partners; and
• Supporting the mission of the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Overview

Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology is responsible for assisting local or regional public health officials in investigating outbreaks of acute infectious disease or any report of isolated cases or rare or unusual disease, such as plague, cholera, or botulism. The program conduct routine and special morbidity surveillance of diseases designated as reportable.

The section is composed of the Emerging & Acute Infectious Disease Unit (EAIDU), the Healthcare Safety Unit and the Zoonosis Control Branch (ZCB).