Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch
The Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch is responsible for the detection, prevention, and control of illnesses due to a varied group of zoonotic, environmental and opportunistic rare bacterial pathogens. BSPB also assists in the investigation of unexplained critical illnesses and deaths.
The mission of BSPB is to prevent illness, disability, and death caused by bacterial zoonotic diseases or rare opportunistic and unusual bacterial pathogens in the United States and around the world. Strategies to accomplish this mission include conducting surveillance, epidemic investigations, epidemiologic and laboratory research, and training and public education.
Branch staff works in partnership with local, state, private, and governmental human and animal health protection organizations.
Diseases BSPB is responsible for include:
- Anthrax
- Brucellosis
- Buruli ulcer
- Capnocytophaga canimorsus
- Elizabethkingia infections
- Glanders (Burkholderia mallei)
- Hansen’s disease (Leprosy)
- Leptospirosis
- Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei)
- Mycetoma and actinomycosis
- Nocardiosis (Nocardia sp.)
- Rat-Bite fever (Streptobacillus moniliformis)
- Identification of rare and new bacterial pathogens
Activities include:
- Identification of aerobic fastidious pathogenic bacteria
- Control of epidemics
- Development of control and prevention methods against bacterial zoonotic and emerging diseases
- Reference and diagnostic testing for agents causing these diseases and for the identification of unknown bacterial isolates associated with human and animal disease
- Development, implementation, and evaluation of prevention strategies for these diseases in collaboration with other domestic and international public health partners and collaborators
- BSPB also is the home for MicrobeNet, CDC’s virtual reference laboratory, where laboratory scientists can search over 6,500 different species using their laboratory data. Find out more about MicrobeNet or request access to MicrobeNet database.
