Find the cause, stop the spread,

and prevent it from happening again.

Disease response is one of the critical missions of the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention,

and it wouldn't be possible without CDC's reliable,

state-of-the-art lab work.

More than fifteen hundred scientists fill the lab benches

at CDC, many of whom are top experts in their field.

They log more than four million hours each year,

sometimes working with the deadliest diseases in the world,

to protect the health of Americans.

It's their work with thousands of germs

that has helped the agency become a leader

in disease detection and prevention.

For almost 70 years, the work happening inside CDC's labs has

had a direct impact on Americans.

Scientists work around the clock

to identify emerging health threats -

like the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, the 2012 outbreak

of fungal meningitis caused by tainted steroid injections,

and the 2014 outbreak of the respiratory illness EV-D68.

We have labs dedicated to newborn screening

that can identify conditions

that may impact a baby's long-term health.

CDC's Tobacco lab looks at toxic substances in cigarettes

and their impact on smokers and nonsmokers.

A separate lab helps identify the source

of multistate foodborne disease outbreaks,

like listeria and salmonella.

Another lab is dedicated to bacterial infections common

in health care settings.

CDC's labs are also a resource for states and hospitals

when they can't identify the cause of an illness.

Our scientists have the ability to test for hundreds of bugs.

It's this sophisticated testing that can spot an outbreak

in its earliest stage, giving states

and hospitals the tools they need to respond.

And if an illness remains unidentified -

CDC's lab workers study its genes

and publish their findings.

Their transparency allows scientists around the world

to learn about the newest bacteria.

America depends on CDC to keep it safe from health threats,

and CDC depends on the dedication, expertise,

and courage of its laboratory staff.

CDC will make sure its labs represent the best

of what's possible through science,

which will help the agency do what it does best:

stop outbreaks and protect the health of Americans.