Denise Cardo, MD

Dr. Denise Cardo served as the director of the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP), National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2003 to 2023. Dr. Cardo joined CDC in 1993 as a medical epidemiologist in the Hospital Infections Program (later named as Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion). After holding many leadership positions in DHQP, she was selected as division director in 2003.

Prior to CDC, Dr. Cardo served as an Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at Escola Paulista de Medicina, Sao Paulo, a top medical institution in Brazil. She also received her medical degree, completed her residency and fellowship at Escola Paulista de Medicina, Sao Paulo, Brazil. During 1990-1991, she did a sabbatical at the Hospital Epidemiology Program, University of Tennessee, Memphis.

Dr. Cardo has been involved in healthcare epidemiology and hospital infections since 1984. She is internationally recognized as an expert and leader in the area. Her interests include patient safety, occupational health, prevention of healthcare-associated infections, and antimicrobial resistance. She has received many awards for her work as author of several research and reviewed papers including book chapters.