# CDC

> US federal public health agency based in Atlanta. Global reference on hantavirus diseases since the identification of Sin Nombre virus in 1993.

Canonical source: https://hantatracker.fr/en/glossary/cdc/

**Aliases**: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US CDC

The **CDC** (*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention*) is the US federal agency responsible for public health. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it is the **global reference on hantavirus diseases** since the identification of Sin Nombre virus during the Four Corners outbreak in 1993. The majority of epidemiological and clinical data used on HantaTracker comes from their official publications.

## Overview

### History

The CDC was founded in **1946** under the original name *Communicable Disease Center*. Initially focused on malaria in the southern United States, its mission expanded to cover all communicable diseases, then all of public health: chronic disease prevention, environmental safety, occupational health, health emergencies and international cooperation.

### Organisation

The CDC is part of the US federal *Department of Health and Human Services* (HHS). It employs around 12,000 people and is organised into several thematic centres, including the *National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases* (NCEZID), which handles the hantavirus portfolio.

### Reference publications

Three publications structure the CDC's scientific authority:
- **Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)**: weekly scientific journal, a global reference for epidemiological surveillance.
- **Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID)**: monthly journal, scientific publication on emerging diseases.
- **Health Alert Network (HAN)**: urgent alerts distributed to US clinicians.

## Historical role on hantavirus diseases

### Identification of Sin Nombre virus

In **May 1993**, a series of unusual cases of acute fatal respiratory syndrome appeared in the Four Corners region (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah). The CDC isolated the pathogen within months and characterised a new hantavirus, named **Sin Nombre virus** ("nameless virus"). It was the first New World hantavirus identified, and the first description of **hantavirus pulmonary syndrome** as a distinct clinical entity.

### National surveillance

Since 1993, the CDC has maintained the most comprehensive database in the world on human cases of pulmonary syndrome: **890 cases** between 1993 and end of 2023, with an annual range of 11 to 48 cases and an average case fatality rate of **36%**. This surveillance is one of the pillars of epidemiological knowledge on American hantavirus diseases.

### Clinical guidelines

The CDC's **Clinician Briefs** (one for pulmonary syndrome, one for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome) are international clinical references. They cover: clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, laboratory findings, therapeutic management, protective measures. Most of the clinical recommendations in our glossary (case fatality, clinical management, intensive care) come from these documents.

## Role in the MV Hondius episode

### HAN 528

The CDC issued, via its Health Alert Network, alert **HAN 528** — *2026 Multi-country Hantavirus Cluster Linked to Cruise Ship*. This advisory provides US clinicians with: a description of the episode, the appropriate response when a symptomatic patient with recent MV Hondius exposure presents, and procedures for reporting to state public health authorities.

### Follow-up of US passengers

Three identified US passengers are under surveillance in their respective states, in coordination between the CDC and the state public health departments. Follow-up follows the standard protocol: daily symptom monitoring for 42 days, with direct access to a designated physician.

### International cooperation

The CDC cooperates with WHO and ECDC for sharing virological information on Andes virus and coordinating international recommendations. This cooperation illustrates the interlocking of the three global (WHO) — European (ECDC) — American (CDC) reference agencies that HantaTracker considers **priority sources**.