It is the health department’s responsibility to identify, prevent and control infectious diseases that pose a threat to public health.

The DCGHD Nursing, Environmental Health and Epidemiology programs work together with medical providers, laboratories, the Ohio Department of Health, CDC, and other partners to prevent the emergence and spread of communicable diseases , including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, vaccine-preventable agents, bacterial toxins, bioterrorism and pandemics. This includes collecting and analyzing disease reports, studying risk factors, protecting exposed individuals and families, developing guidelines for disease prevention and control, and planning and responding to public health emergencies involving communicable diseases.

Communicable and Infectious diseases are classified by their severity of disease and potential for epidemic spread. These diseases are governed by the health department under Ohio Administrative Code Sections 3701.3.02 and 3701.3.13.