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Global Emerging Infections Surveillance

GEIS mission 

The History of GEIS

Department of Defense Global Emerging Infections Surveillance was established in 1997 following the release of Presidential Decision Directive, National Science and Technology Council-7, which tasked DOD to improve infectious disease surveillance, prevention, and response. Since that time, GEIS has been a global leader in addressing militarily relevant infectious disease threats and informing force health protection (FHP) decision making. As part of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division, the GEIS section contributes to the protection of DOD health care beneficiaries and the global community through an integrated worldwide emerging infectious disease surveillance system.

Disease outbreaks over the past several years — including the emergence and spread of viruses such as Ebola, Influenza H7N9, Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome – Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and Zika—have demonstrated the relevance of GEIS and its global collaborators.

These disease threats and others continue to challenge global health security of the U.S., its interests, and its allies, including service members deployed across the globe. In August 2015, GEIS strengthened its role as a Combat Support Agency in support of the Defense Health Agency's mission and provides actionable information for FHP decision making to the six GCCs and other Combatant Commands as appropriate. Read the GEIS Strategy to learn how the section will support infectious disease surveillance and outbreak response to enhance FHP decision making in the future operating environment.

GEIS Role in Global Infectious Disease Surveillance

GEIS is striving to meet the DHA Director's Strategic Priorities

The strategic goals of the GEIS Section include:

  • Supporting GCC infectious disease and theater campaign priorities through strengthening surveillance, outbreak response, collaboration, and coordination of the global DOD laboratory network
  • Informing FHP decision and policy making through timely dissemination of surveillance information to key stakeholders
  • Enhancing national and global health security by preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious disease threats
  • Informing DOD and interagency research and development of infectious disease countermeasures such as diagnostic tools, prophylaxes, therapeutics, insecticides, and personal protective equipment

GEIS Activities Overview

GEIS supports surveillance and outbreak response efforts in four infectious disease focus areas in concert with GCC priorities: antimicrobial resistant infections (including sexually transmitted infections), enteric infections, febrile and vector-borne infections, and respiratory infections.

The focus of these efforts is rapid detection and advanced characterization of endemic or emerging threats to military forces, including vectors and reservoirs of infectious disease transmission. Supported activities also include the study of clinical and epidemiological characteristics of infectious disease and associated risk factors to provide timely and actionable findings to DOD stakeholders. The Data to Decision Initiative, started in August 2017, formalizes a process for timely and consistent reporting of surveillance information for immediate FHP decision making and longer term analysis.

In FY17, GEIS established a Next-Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Consortium in order to rapidly detect and characterize known, emerging, and novel infectious disease agents through establishment of a harmonized DOD laboratory capability that uses data from NGS and BI to inform FHP decision making. GEIS partners around the world are either actively engaged in NGS projects or pursuing NGS capabilities. The Consortium brings GEIS partners together to share information on capabilities, standard operating procedures, and expertise, to enhance coordination and collaboration in NGS and its associated BI challenges.

For information about GEIS and its role as a CSA, please view the GEIS Strategy and explore our GEIS focus area pages:

GEIS Focus Areas

GEIS Stakeholders

GEIS provides direct technical support to GCC-led international scientific coalitions and strategic engagement efforts that focus on infectious disease prevention, detection, and response. GEIS funding supports a global network of highly qualified DOD Service laboratories positioned in key locations to provide on-the-ground infectious disease surveillance and outbreak response. GEIS partners have built surveillance networks and relationships with the U.S. interagency and international partners to share important information about circulating infectious disease threats.

For more information on GEIS disease surveillance and significant accomplishments, refer to AFHSD Annual Reports and GEIS Publications.

If you are involved with the DOD medical community and are interested in partnering with GEIS, or if you would like to find out more, please contact GEIS.

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The GEIS FVBI program supports vector and vector-borne disease surveillance projects in more than 40 countries around the world.

DOD Establishes Collaborative Virus Genetic Sequencing Capability for COVID-19

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6/5/2020
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COVID-19 sequencing process will provide military commanders and other DOD leadership with critical information to guide force health protection decision-making.

Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics (ESSENCE)

Fact Sheet
8/21/2019

This fact sheet describes the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics, or ESSENCE. ESSENCE is a global and Military Health System (MHS) monitoring capability for early detection of imminent health threats impacting force readiness for active duty service members.

2019 to 2021 GEIS Strategy

Report
6/15/2018

This Strategy describes how GEIS will support infectious disease surveillance and outbreak response to enhance FHP decision making in the future operating environment. GEIS will achieve this end state through direct support to the six Geographic Combatant Commands (GCC) and the global DoD laboratory network that operates in all of their areas of operation to provide early detection, prevention and response to infectious disease threats of military relevance.

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2010

Report
10/1/2010

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2009

Report
10/1/2009

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2008

Report
10/1/2008

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2007

Report
10/1/2007

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2006

Report
10/1/2006

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2005

Report
10/1/2005

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2004

Report
10/1/2004

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2003

Report
10/1/2003

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2002

Report
10/1/2002

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2001

Report
10/1/2001

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

GEIS Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2000

Report
10/1/2000

Annual report for the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System

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Last Updated: May 04, 2023
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