Laboratory science and public health at CDC

Laboratory technology is as essential to public health practitioners for monitoring threats to public health as it is to clinical practitioners who depend on laboratory technology to diagnose and monitor disease in individuals. Laboratory technology provides essential information for effective public health interventions, whether monitoring emerging infectious diseases, such as avian influenza globally; identifying pathogens, such as Escherichia coli in the U.S. food supply and pinpointing its source; screening newborns for devastating disorders, such as phenylketonuria, that can be prevented by early intervention; or developing the capacity to quickly screen for exposure to chemical and biologic agents.