The Division of Communicable Disease Control (DCDC) works in partnership with local, state and national health officials; university schools of public health; non-governmental organizations; clinicians; and international health agencies to promptly identify, prevent, control, and monitor infectious diseases that pose a threat to public health, including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, vaccine-preventable agents, bacterial toxins, possible bioterrorism, or pandemics (e.g. avian influenza in humans).

DCDC branches also work closely with the Office of AIDS (a separate program within the Center for Infectious Diseases) to integrate and collaborate on comprehensive prevention, diagnosis and treatment services for sexually transmitted diseases, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis and HIV at the patient level, regardless of the program where the client seeks care.