Reportable diseases
Reportable diseases are diseases considered to be of great public health importance. In the United States, local, state, and national agencies (for example, county and state health departments or the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]) require that these diseases be reported when they are diagnosed by health care providers or laboratories.
Reporting allows for the collection of statistics that show how often the disease occurs. This helps researchers identify disease trends and track disease outbreaks. This information can help control future outbreaks.
Information
All US states have a reportable diseases list. It is the responsibility of your provider, not you, to report cases of these diseases. Many diseases on the list must also be reported to the CDC.
Reportable diseases are divided into several groups:
- Mandatory written reporting: A report of the disease must be made in writing. Examples are gonorrhea and salmonellosis.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleSalmonellosis
Salmonella enterocolitis is a bacterial infection in the lining of the small intestine that is caused by Salmonella bacteria. It is a type of food p...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Mandatory reporting by telephone: The provider must make a report by phone. Examples are rubeola (measles) and pertussis (whooping cough).
Rubeola
Measles is a very contagious (easily spread) illness caused by a virus.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticlePertussis
Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughing. The coughing can make it hard to breathe. A deep "...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Report of total number of cases. Examples are chickenpox and influenza.
Chickenpox
Chickenpox is a viral infection in which a person develops very itchy blisters all over the body. It was more common in the past. The illness is ra...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleInfluenza
The flu (influenza) is a viral respiratory illness that causes fever, chills, runny nose, body aches, and cough. It spreads easily from person to pe...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Cancer. Cancer cases are reported to the state Cancer Registry.
Diseases reportable to the CDC include:
- Anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. Infection in humans most often involves the skin, gastrointestinal...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Arboviral diseases (diseases caused by viruses spread by mosquitoes, sandflies, ticks, etc.) such as West Nile virus, eastern and western equine encephalitis
West Nile virus
West Nile virus causes a viral disease and is spread by mosquitoes. The condition ranges from mild to severe.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleEncephalitis
Encephalitis is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the brain, most often due to infections.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Babesiosis
- Botulism
Botulism
Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. The bacteria may enter the body through wounds or by eating imprope...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Brucellosis
Brucellosis
Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that occurs from contact with animals carrying brucella bacteria.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Campylobacteriosis
- Cancer
- Candida auris, clinical
Candida auris
Candida auris (C auris) is a type of yeast (fungus). It can cause a severe infection in hospital or nursing home patients. These people are often a...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Candida auris, screening
- Carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO)
- Carbapenemase-producing organisms, clinical
- Carbapenemase-producing organisms, screening
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that causes thousands of deaths each year in North America. Breathing in carbon monoxide is very dangerous. It i...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Chancroid
Chancroid
Chancroid is a bacterial infection that is spread through sexual contact.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Chickenpox (varicella)
- Chlamydia
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is an infection caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. It is most often spread through sexual contact.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Cholera
Cholera
Cholera is a bacterial infection of the small intestine that causes a large amount of watery diarrhea.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Coccidioidomycosis
Coccidioidomycosis
Valley fever is an infection that occurs when the spores of the fungus Coccidioides immitis enter your body through the lungs.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that causes fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, but many other symptoms can occur....
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidium enteritis is an infection of the small intestine that causes diarrhea. The parasite cryptosporidium causes this infection.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Cyclosporiasis
- Dengue virus infections
- Diphtheria
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an acute infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis
Ehrlichiosis
Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial infection transmitted by the bite of a tick.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Foodborne disease outbreak
- Giardiasis
Giardiasis
Giardia, or giardiasis, is a parasitic infection of the small intestine. A tiny parasite called Giardia lamblia causes it.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Gonorrhea
- Haemophilus influenza, invasive disease
- Hansen disease
Hansen disease
Leprosy is a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. This disease causes skin sores, nerve damage, and muscle weakness that gets worse...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Hantavirus infection, non-Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
Hantavirus infection
Hantavirus is a life-threatening viral infection spread to humans by rodents.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
- Hemolytic uremic syndrome, post-diarrheal
Hemolytic uremic syndrome
Shiga-like toxin producing E coli hemolytic-uremic syndrome (STEC-HUS) is a disorder that most often occurs when an infection in the digestive system...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is inflammation (irritation and swelling) of the liver from the hepatitis A virus.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Hepatitis B (acute and chronic)
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the liver due to infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Other types of viral hepatitis ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Hepatitis B perinatal infection
- Hepatitis C (acute and chronic)
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a viral disease that leads to swelling (inflammation) of the liver. Other types of viral hepatitis include:Hepatitis AHepatitis BHepat...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Hepatitis C, perinatal infection
- HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). When a person becomes infected with HIV, the ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Influenza-related infant deaths
- Invasive pneumococcal disease
- Lead, elevated blood level
- Legionnaire disease (legionellosis)
Legionellosis
Legionnaires disease is an infection of the lungs and airways. It is caused by Legionella bacteria.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is an infection caused by leptospira bacteria.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Listeriosis
Listeriosis
Listeriosis is an infection that can occur when a person eats food that has been contaminated with bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes (L monocyto...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Lyme disease
Lyme disease
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread through the bite of one of several types of ticks.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a parasitic disease that involves high fevers, shaking chills, flu-like symptoms, and anemia.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Measles
- Melioidosis
- Meningitis (meningococcal disease)
Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This covering is called the meninges. Bacteria are one type of germ ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Mpox
Mpox
Mpox is a viral infection in which a person develops fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and a rash that may affect the entire body. Most cases resolve wi...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Mumps
Mumps
Mumps is a contagious disease that leads to painful swelling of the salivary glands. The salivary glands produce saliva, a liquid that moistens food...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Novel influenza A virus infections
- Pertussis
- Pesticide-related illnesses and injuries
- Plague
Plague
Plague is a severe bacterial infection that may cause death. The disease affects small mammals, mainly rodents, and humans.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Poliomyelitis, paralytic
Poliomyelitis
Polio is a viral disease that can affect nerves and can lead to partial or full paralysis. The medical name for polio is poliomyelitis.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Poliovirus infection, nonparalytic
- Psittacosis
Psittacosis
Psittacosis is an infection caused by Chlamydophila psittaci, a type of bacteria found in the droppings of birds. Birds spread the infection to huma...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Q-fever (acute and chronic)
Q-fever
Q fever is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that are spread by domestic and wild animals and ticks.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Rabies (human and animal cases)
Rabies
Rabies is a deadly viral infection that is mainly spread by infected animals.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Rubella (including congenital syndrome)
Rubella
Rubella, also known as the German measles, is an infection in which there is a rash on the skin. Congenital rubella is when a pregnant woman with rub...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Salmonella paratyphi and typhi infections
- Salmonellosis
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus disease (SARS CoV-2)
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-assoc...
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a serious form of pneumonia. Infection with the SARS virus causes acute respiratory distress (severe bre...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)
- Shigellosis
Shigellosis
Shigellosis is a bacterial infection of the lining of the intestines. It is caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Silicosis
Silicosis
Silicosis is a lung disease caused by breathing in (inhaling) silica dust.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox is a serious disease that is easily passed from person to person (contagious). It is caused by a virus.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Spotted fever rickettsiosis
- Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome
- Syphilis, including congenital syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is most often spread through sexual contact.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Tetanus
Tetanus
Tetanus is an infection of the nervous system with a type of bacteria that is potentially deadly, called Clostridium tetani (C tetani).
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Toxic shock syndrome (other than streptococcal)
Toxic shock syndrome
Toxic shock syndrome is a serious disease that involves fever, shock, and problems with several body organs.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Trichinellosis
Trichinellosis
Trichinosis is an infection with the roundworm Trichinella spiralis.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs. It may spread to other organs.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Tularemia
Tularemia
Tularemia is a bacterial infection in wild rodents. The bacteria are passed to humans through contact with tissue from the infected animal. The bac...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Vancomycin intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA)
- Vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA)
- Vibriosis
- Viral hemorrhagic fever (including Ebola virus, Lassa virus, among others)
Ebola virus
Ebola is a severe and often deadly disease caused by a virus. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, bleeding, and often, death. Ebola can occu...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Waterborne disease outbreak
- Yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Zika virus disease and infection (including congenital)
Zika virus disease
Zika is a virus passed to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever, joint pain, rash, and red eyes (conjunctivitis)....
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The county or state health department will try to find the source of many of these illnesses, such as food poisoning. In the case of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), the county or state will try to locate sexual contacts of infected people to make sure they are disease-free or are treated if they are already infected.
The information gained from reporting allows the county or state to make informed decisions and laws about activities and the environment, such as:
- Animal control
- Food handling
- Immunization programs
- Insect control
- STD tracking
- Water purification
The provider is required by law to report these diseases. By cooperating with state health workers, you can help them locate the source of an infection or prevent the spread of an epidemic.
Reviewed By
Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). www.cdc.gov/nndss/index.html. Updated March 15, 2024. Accessed June 19, 2024.