How to Find Information About a Specific Disease or Health Topic on the CDC Website

Use the A to Z index on cdc.gov when you already know the name of a disease or condition, or browse Featured Topics when you want to see what CDC is currently highlighting. The A to Z index covers diseases and conditions, healthy living, workplace safety, environmental health, injury, violence and safety, global health, and travelers' health, so it works for both clinical topics and broader public health subjects.

Start With the A to Z Index

The A to Z index is the most direct route to a specific topic. It is organized alphabetically, with a row of letter links (A through Z, plus a "#" entry) that jump to topics beginning with that letter.

1. Go to cdc.gov and locate the A to Z section on the homepage.
2. Select the first letter of the disease or condition you are looking for — for example, E for Ebola or M for measles.
3. Scan the list under that letter for the matching topic and open its page.

Expected result: you land on the topic's main page, which typically links onward to situation summaries, prevention guidance, data, and related pages.

Common snag: a topic may appear under a different name than the one you have in mind (for example, a colloquial name versus the formal condition name). If the first letter doesn't show it, try alternate spellings or the Featured Topics section.

Use Featured Topics for Current Priorities

The Featured Topics block on the homepage surfaces what CDC is actively emphasizing. In the current page content, examples include:

• Ways to Prevent Measles
• Getting Tested for HIV
• About Type 1 Diabetes
• H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation
• Controlling Asthma
• Learn the Signs. Act Early.

This is the faster path when you want the current situation or a timely public health message rather than a general reference page. For ongoing outbreaks, the featured link often points to a situation summary — the page content shows an Ebola Situation Summary as an example.

Choose the Right Section for Your Topic

The A to Z index spans more than diseases. Use the table below to decide where your question fits.

Check News and Journals for Developments

If you need the latest announcement rather than background information, the News All News section lists recent items with dates. The page content shows examples such as an annual report on progress against lung cancer, data on youth health, a statement on increases in animal rabies activity and associated human exposures, and a new overdose prevention data channel.

For technical or research-level material, CDC publishes three journals described on the site:

• MMWR — a weekly epidemiological digest providing timely, reliable, objective, and useful public health information.
• EID — a monthly peer-reviewed journal covering infectious diseases, with emphasis on prevention, control, and elimination.
• PCD — a peer-reviewed journal covering research, public health findings, innovations, and practices on chronic diseases.

Use these when you need surveillance data, outbreak reports, or peer-reviewed findings rather than consumer-facing guidance.

A Practical Search Sequence

For a specific disease, this order usually gets you to the right page fastest:

1. Try the A to Z letter for the condition name.
2. If it isn't listed, check Featured Topics for a current campaign page.
3. If you need recent developments, scan News.
4. If you need data or studies, go to MMWR, EID, or PCD.

The site also notes that CDC is translating science into practical, easy-to-understand policy by clarifying scientific language and standardizing guideline development, so topic pages are written for broad audiences as well as professionals.