Notifiable Conditions

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Notifiable Conditions List:

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Several Texas laws (Health & Safety Code, Chapters 81, 84, and 87) require specific information regarding notifiable conditions be provided to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Health care providers, hospitals, laboratories, schools, and others are required to report patients who are suspected of having a notifiable condition (Chapter 97, Title 25, Texas Administrative Code).

General Instructions

WHAT: Notifiable conditions in Texas. In addition to these conditions, any outbreaks, exotic diseases, and unusual group expressions of disease must be reported. All diseases shall be reported by name, age, sex, race/ethnicity, DOB, address, telephone number, disease, date of onset, method of diagnosis, and name, address, and telephone number of physician.

WHEN: The List indicates when to report each condition. Cases or suspected cases of illness considered to be public health emergencies, outbreaks, exotic diseases, and unusual group expressions of disease must be reported to the local health department or DSHS immediately. Other diseases for which there must be a quick public health response must be reported within one working day. All other conditions must be reported to the local health department or DSHS within one week. 

HOW: Most notifiable conditions, or other illnesses that may be of public health significance, should be reported directly to the local or health service regions. See exceptions marked by * on the Texas Notifiable Conditions List above. Paper reporting forms can be obtained by calling your local or health service region or by download in PDF format (Epi-2 for more detailed single case medical care provider reports or EPI-1 for less detailed multiple reports). As a last resort or in case of emergency, reports can be made by telephone to the state office at 888-963-7111. After hours this number will reach the physician / epidemiologist-on-call.

Special Instructions

View reporting requirements for HIV/AIDS and other notifiable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Invasive streptococcal disease, invasive meningococcal infection, or invasive Haemophilius influenzae type b infections refers to isolates from normally sterile sites and includes meningitis, septicemia, cellulitis, epiglottitis, osteomyelitis, pericarditis, septic arthritis, and necrotizing fasciitis.

Immediately report isolates of vancomycin intermediate and resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and (VRSA) by calling (800) 252-8239 or faxing (512) 776-7616. Isolates of VISA and VRSA shall be submitted to the Texas Department of State Health Services, Laboratory Services Section, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756-3199. All reports of VISA and VRSA shall include patient name; date of birth or age; sex; city of submitter; anatomic site of culture; date of culture; and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) if available.  

Laboratory shall submit pure cultures for these diseases: For all anthrax (Bacillus anthracis); botulism, adult and infant (Clostridium botulinum); brucellosis (Brucella species); Candida auris; diphtheria (Corynebacteria diphtheria from any site); all Haemophilus influenzae, invasive, in children under five years old (Haemophilus influenzae from normally sterile sites); listeriosis (Listeria monocytogenes); meningococcal infection, invasive (Neisseria meningitidis from normally sterile sites or purpuric lesions); plague (Yersinia pestis); salmonellosis, including typhoid fever (Salmonella species); Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infection (E.coli O157:H7, isolates or specimens from cases where Shiga toxin activity is demonstrated); Staphylococcus aureus with a vancomycin MIC greater than 2 µg/mL; all Streptococcus pneumoniae, invasive, in children under five years old (Streptococcus pneumoniae from normally sterile sites); tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex); tularemia (Francisella tularensis); and vibriosis (Vibrio species)  (Texas Administrative Code)

These cultures will be accompanied by a current department Specimen Submission Form to the Texas Department of State Health Services, Laboratory Services Section, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756-3199.