Communicable Disease

Programs & Services

Under the DHHS Open Window initiative, the Communicable Disease Branch has four overarching services: Tuberculosis Elimination, HIV/STD Prevention Activities, HIV Care Services, and Communicable Disease Surveillance and Control. Find specific programs, activities and services in our alphabetical list, or see audience-specific programs and services by choosing one of the groups below:

A
B-C
D-E
F
G
H
I-J-K
L
M
N-O
P
Q
R
S
T-U
V
W
X-Y-Z

AIDS
- Clinical services - Local health departments provide confidential HIV, AIDS and STD screening at no charge. Find your local health department.
- Disease intervention services for local health departments (See Field Services)
- Drug assistance program (HMAP) - formerly ADAP
- Education programs
  - Get Real, Get Tested.
- Field services for local health departments
- Get Real. Get Tested.
- HIV/STD Prevention & Care
  - HIV Stigma Reduction Toolkit
- NC HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Advisory Committee (HPCAC)
- North Carolina’s Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan 2017-2021 (PDF, 2.7MB)
- Partner notification services for local health departments (See Field Services)
- Regional Quality Council
- Ryan White Program
- Testing Programs

Biological agents
- Public Health Preparedness & Response Branch
- Registry

Disease intervention services (See Field Services)
Drug assistance programs
- HIV Medication Assistance Program (HMAP) - formerly ADAP

Field Services Unit
Flu (Influenza)
- Influenza sentinel surveillance program - How influenza cases are monitored, plus find data from past flu seasons and information on pandemic preparedness.
- North Carolina Flu Update - Vaccine information and weekly updates on the current flu season.

Get Real. Get Tested. - Statewide HIV and STD educational and testing campaign.

Healthcare-Associated Infections Prevention
- Injection safety
  - One and Only Campaign
Health statistics - The State Center for Health Statistics performs data collection and analysis, health-related research, production of reports, and maintenance of a comprehensive collection of health statistics.
HIV
- HIV Care
  - HIV Medication Assistance Program (HMAP) - formerly ADAP
  - Ryan White Program
  - Other patient assistance programs (housing, legal, community)
- HIV/STD Prevention & Care
  - HIV Stigma Reduction Toolkit
- North Carolina’s Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan 2017-2021 (PDF, 2.7MB)
HIV/STD Surveillance Unit
Hospital-based public health epidemiologist (PHE) program - Based in the large hospital systems in North Carolina, these public health epidemiologists work closely with clinicians, hospitals and the public health system on surveillance and response to disease outbreaks, public health emergencies and community health issues.

Influenza (flu)
- Influenza sentinel surveillance program - How influenza cases are monitored, plus find data from past flu seasons and information on pandemic preparedness.
- North Carolina Flu Update - Vaccine information and weekly updates on the current flu season.
Injection safety
- One and Only Campaign

Laboratory services - The State Laboratory of Public Health provides certain medical and environmental laboratory services (testing, consultation and training) to public and private health provider organizations responsible for the promotion, protection and assurance of the health of North Carolina citizens.

Medical Consultation Unit – The unit within the Communicable Disease Branch that provides medical consultation to local health department nurses and other persons working to limit the spread of communicable diseases in the community. This unit includes the Communicable Disease Nurse Consultants and the Technical Assistance and Training Program (TATP).

Norovirus laboratory services - The State Lab of Public Health tests for norovirus during outbreak situations only. Specimen submission must be approved by Communicable Disease Branch epidemiologists (919-733-3419).
NC HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Advisory Committee (HPCAC)

Partner notification (See Field Services)
PHEs (Public Health Epidemiologists) in Hospitals - Based in the large hospital systems in North Carolina, these public health epidemiologists work closely with clinicians, hospitals and the public health system on surveillance and response to disease outbreaks, public health emergencies and community health issues.
Promoting Interoperability and Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records

Rabies
- Oral Rabies Vaccination (ORV) program for wildlife
- Rabies control in N.C.
- Rabies tags
  - Tag lists
  - Tag order form for veterinarians, animal control professionals
    - 2025 (PDF, 140KB)
- Risk assessment - Human health care providers, veterinarians and CD nurses caring for patients with potential rabies exposures may contact N.C. DHHS Public Health Veterinarians (919-733-3419; 24/7) for evaluation of exposure circumstances and advisement on whether post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is appropriate. In the case of animals, the determination of whether or not control measures should be applied is made under N.C. GS § 130A-197 .
- Rabies laboratory services - The Rabies Laboratory at the State Laboratory of Public Health is the sole source for diagnostic rabies testing in North Carolina. This service is available to all health care providers within the state.
Regional Quality Council

Safe injection practices
- One and Only Campaign
Spay/Neuter Program for Companion Animals - From its inception in 2001 until Sept 30, 2010, this program was managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. It is now administered by the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS).
State Laboratory of Public Health - Provides certain medical and environmental laboratory services (testing, consultation and training) to public and private health provider organizations responsible for the promotion, protection and assurance of the health of North Carolina citizens.
Statistical services - The State Center for Health Statistics performs data collection and analysis, health-related research, production of reports, and maintenance of a comprehensive collection of health statistics.
STD Prevention & Care
- Clinical services
- Educational programs
- Field Services for local health departments (disease intervention, partner notification)
- HIV Care
- HIV Stigma Reduction Toolkit
- NC HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Advisory Committee (HPCAC)
- North Carolina’s Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan 2017-2021 (PDF, 2.7MB)
- Regional Quality Council
- Testing programs
Surveillance of communicable diseases
- Surveillance and reporting in North Carolina
- Surveillance Units, Communicable Disease Branch

Testing programs - HIV and STDs
Technical Assistance & Training Program (TATP) for Communicable Disease Nurses
Tick Identification Program
Tuberculosis
- Tuberculosis Control Program
- Treatment & services - Treatment of TB and latent TB infection is provided free through local health departments .

Veterinary Public Health Program - Control and prevention of communicable diseases which can be passed from animals to humans.
- Rabies control in N.C.
- Rabies control in wildlife - oral rabies vaccine (ORV) program
- Find an animal control agency near you : Search the N.C. Animal Rabies Control Association (NCARCA) directory.

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Updated: February 25, 2025