What agency would respond when there is an outbreak of West Nile Virus in North Carolina?

What agency would respond when there is an outbreak of West Nile Virus in North Carolina?

• A. FDA
• B. NIH
• C. CDC
• D. WHO

Answer: (C)

West Nile Virus outbreaks are managed through national public health surveillance and coordinated outbreak response, which is led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC serves as the primary federal authority in the United States for investigating infectious disease outbreaks, providing laboratory testing guidance, case definitions, prevention and control recommendations, and coordinating with state and local health departments. In a North Carolina outbreak, the state health department would handle local actions, but the CDC would take the lead at the federal level to mobilize resources, share data, and offer expert guidance. The other agencies have different primary roles: the FDA regulates foods, drugs, and medical devices; the NIH focuses on biomedical research; and the WHO operates globally and would not be the lead responder for a single state's outbreak.

West Nile Virus outbreaks are managed through national public health surveillance and coordinated outbreak response, which is led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC serves as the primary federal authority in the United States for investigating infectious disease outbreaks, providing laboratory testing guidance, case definitions, prevention and control recommendations, and coordinating with state and local health departments. In a North Carolina outbreak, the state health department would handle local actions, but the CDC would take the lead at the federal level to mobilize resources, share data, and offer expert guidance. The other agencies have different primary roles: the FDA regulates foods, drugs, and medical devices; the NIH focuses on biomedical research; and the WHO operates globally and would not be the lead responder for a single state's outbreak.