Infectious Disease Bureau
The
Center for Immunization protects the public from vaccine preventable diseases by providing free vaccines to health providers and
local health departments through the
Vaccines for Children program; conducts disease surveillance activity and monitoring; and provides immunization health education and resources through the Maryland Partnership for Prevention. The
Center for Immunization is also the responsible for school, college and child care
vaccination requirements.
This program monitors, investigates, and reports on diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans, including
rabies,
Lyme disease,
West Nile Virus, and avian influenza. It provides education and training to local health department personnel and general information to the public about zoonotic diseases (diseases transmitted between humans and animals).
Educational materials and resources are included that highlight research, educational initiatives, and special projects involving ticks, mosquitoes, and other disease-carrying vectors.
The treatment of
adult viral hepatitis is costly to the health care system with prevention efforts focusing on
vaccination, screening and treatment for hepatitis in Maryland.
Preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their complications is essential for improving the sexual and reproductive health of Marylanders. The Center for Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention (CSTIP) conducts statewide disease surveillance; oversees partner services; provides technical assistance, consultation, training and education to local health departments and to public and private agencies and community partners throughout the state.
The number of persons living with HIV continues to grow as we strive to increase testing and diagnosis of persons who do not know their status and to increase access to care. The
Center of HIV Prevention and Health Services seeks to reduce transmission in Maryland and increase access to care and treatment services.
Partner services will be a critical strategy to coordinate these efforts in order to reduce the incidence and prevalence of HIV in Maryland that data provided by the
Center for HIV Surveillance and Epidemiology currently show.
Treatment, including health care, medication and support services, is available that can help people living with HIV in Maryland live longer, healthier lives. Using federal and state funding, the
Center for HIV Prevention and Health Services supports local health departments, hospitals and community-based health care providers to offer a wide variety of treatment and care services to people living with HIV and AIDS across Maryland. These health care and support services fill gaps in care faced by those with low-incomes and little or no insurance. The
Center for HIV Prevention and Health Services also administers the
Maryland AIDS Drug Assistance Program (MADAP) to ensure that people living with HIV have access to the medications they need to stay healthy.
The prevalence of
tuberculosis continues to increase globally in the presence of drugs that can cure tuberculosis and reduce transmission locally.
Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Outbreak Response
