Reportable diseases
Key points
- Reportable diseases are diseases considered to be of great public health importance.
- Although it is up to states to decide which diseases are reportable, most of these lists are similar with only a few variations depending on geographical location.
- Local, state, and national agencies (for example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) require that such diseases be reported when they are diagnosed by doctors or laboratories.
- This permits surveillance (i.e., the collection of statistics on the frequency with which the disease occurs), which in turn allows these agencies to identify trends in disease occurrence, as well as disease outbreaks.
Alternative names
Notifiable diseases
Definition
Reportable diseases are diseases considered to be of great public health importance. Local, state, and national agencies (for example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) require that such diseases be reported when they are diagnosed by doctors or laboratories.
This permits surveillance (i.e., the collection of statistics on the frequency with which the disease occurs), which in turn allows these agencies to identify trends in disease occurrence, as well as disease outbreaks.
Information
All states have a "reportable diseases" list. Although it is up to states to decide which diseases are reportable, most of these lists are similar with only a few variations depending on geographical location. The diseases are divided into several groups:
- Mandatory written reporting. Examples are gonorrhea and salmonellosis.
- Mandatory reporting by telephone. Examples are rubeola (Measles (rubeola)) and pertussis (whooping cough).
- Report of total number of cases. Examples are chickenpox and influenza.
- Cancer. This is reported to the state Cancer Registry (not all states have cancer registries).
A typical state list may appear as follows:
(Name of state) law requires the following diseases to be reported to the local health department, or the (name of state) Department of Health. Please contact....
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
Amebiasis
Anthrax *
Botulism *
Brucellosis
Campylobacteriosis
Cancer
Chancroid
Chickenpox **
Chlamydial Infections
Cholera *
Coccidioidomycosis
Colorado Tick Fever
Diphtheria *Echinococcosis (post-infectious, arthropod-borne, and unspecified)Food-borne Illness, including food poisoningGonococcal Ophthalmia NeonatorumHemophilus Influenza, Invasive Disease (all serotypes), cases and carriersHepatitis, other Viral: Type C() **Legionellosis, Aseptic and Bacterial **Pelvic Inflammatory Disease * * *Q-feverRabies (Human and Animal) *Relapsing Fever (tick-borne and louse borne)Rheumatic FeverRocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Congenital Syndrome *SalmonellosisShigellosisStaphylococcal Diseases **Tetanus *Typhoid *, cases and carriersTyphus *Yellow Fever *
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
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