Greetings from Director of Disease Control and Prevention Center

Infectious diseases have a serious effect on not merely individual health but also healthcare facilities and local communities, and then globally. The diagnosis and treatment are only one part; we must think of prevention and public health measures to control infectious diseases. We need to consider those multiple factors and their linkages and take comprehensive measures in infection control. 

We, the Disease Control and Prevention Center (DCC), focus on the following 5 components to take a comprehensive, multifaceted, advanced approach to both domestic and foreign infections.

1. To function as a clinical referral center of infectious diseases
2. To focus on development and training human resources of the field of infection control
3. To be a source of information and build networks of the field of infection control
4. To become a hub for researches on domestic and foreign infection
5. To put the field epidemiology into practice

DCC consists of 3 divisions.

• The Division of Infectious Disease Department handles inpatients and outpatients of imported and common infectious diseases and cross-departmental consultation on infections.
• The Division of Travel Clinic offers people traveling abroad health services to keep in good health before and after their travels: such as medical checkups, vaccinations, guidance for chronic disease management, and post-travel medical examinations.
• The Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections performs field survey, diagnosis, and treatment of emerging and reemerging infections, and provide information and workshops for medical practitioners. We contribute to national infection control through these activities.

The DCC manages an emerging infectious disease ward, which our hospital runs as one of the four Designated Medical Institutions for Specified Infectious Diseases in Japan. We also perform practical approaches to prevent healthcare-associated infections: organizing an infection control team and forming networks with other medical institutions. 

We also carry out clinical research, including multi-institutional studies, research for diagnosis and treatment of imported infections, and Vietnam-based research of healthcare-associated infections as well as clinical microbiology analysis focusing on genetic testing in the laboratory. Moreover, the DCC invited a specialist (profession of international infection control) in January 2013 to strengthen our epidemiology section.

Our mission is to develop infectious disease specialists, who play an active role globally, in this ideal environment for gaining practical experience.