The Center for Acute Disease Epidemiology (CADE)

These factsheets were designed to promote safe and healthy living environments by providing pet owners and the general public with resources on common diseases transmitted between animals and humans (zoonotic diseases).

Antibiotic resistance happens when microbes (germs) develop ways to survive the use of medicines meant to kill or weaken them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), foodborne illness affects 48 million Americans, causes 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths annually.

IDPH’s initiative to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) includes supporting science-based actions to decrease these infections to make healthcare safer for all Iowans.

The Iowa Disease Surveillance System (IDSS) enables local public health, hospitals, laboratories, and IDPH to collaborate electronically as they perform disease reporting and surveillance activities across the state.

The Iowa Influenza Surveillance Network (IISN) is comprised of physicians, schools, child care centers, businesses, and long term care facilities who track the occurrence on influenza-like illness.

Rabies is a deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. The rabies virus is usually transmitted through an animal bite.

There are two rabies strains that commonly circulate in Iowa (bat and skunk), and many different species can be infected with these strains. Animals most likely to transmit rabies in the United States include bats, skunks, coyotes, foxes and raccoons.

In a joint effort with the University Hygienic Laboratory, the Iowa State University Department of Entomology, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and several local health departments, the Iowa Department of Public Health has instituted a number of programs which have allowed Iowa to monitor West Nile virus activity in sentinel chickens, mosquitoes, horses, and humans.