UC Davis Medical Center becomes pathogen treatment center to treat dangerous viruses
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- UC Davis Medical Center named California’s first Level 2 pathogen treatment site
- Facility receives $1.2M to treat infectious diseases like Ebola and Marburg
- New designation enhances Northern California’s readiness for pathogen events
UC Davis Medical Center has been designated as a Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Center, the first of its kind in California.
The medical center will now be able to handle patients with infectious diseases, with $1.2 million in funding from the California Department of Public Health, according to a news release. The center will be able to provide care for, receive and oversee patients with pathogen infections, including Ebola and Marburg virus disease, under this new designation.
Described as a “milestone in advancing national health security,” this designation seeks to “provide every person in the United States with timely access to safe, high-quality care for high-consequence infectious diseases,” according to the Aug. 20 release.
“With UC Davis becoming a Level 2 facility, Northern California communities are better equipped to respond to high-consequence infectious diseases, advancing the system’s mission of protecting patients, healthcare workers, and the communities we serve,” the news release stated.
Jonathan Grein, principal investigator for the Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said the inclusion of UC Davis Medical Center will play a significant role in the region’s National Special Pathogen System.
The NSPS includes multiple tiers of care and health facilities in the United States that focus on responding to “special pathogen events,” according to the organization’s website.
“This partnership strengthens regional coordination, expands specialized clinical capacity, and ensures that patients facing high-consequence infectious diseases receive care from prepared, highly trained teams across Northern California,” Grein said in a press release.
UC Davis Medical Center will be the second hospital with a specialty in pathogen assessment and treatment separate from Los Angeles County. Shelly Schwedhelm, executive director of NSPS, said UC Davis’s new role will be a part of a bigger role in the country to taking on severe pathogens.
“This designation reflects the vision behind the NSPS: a unified, national system capable of responding to the most dangerous pathogens,” Schwedhelm said in the release. “We are committed to the continued growth of the system and to supporting UC Davis as they join the network of facilities leading the way in preparedness and patient care.”
This story was originally published August 26, 2025 at 2:54 PM.
