Notifiable Disease

notifiable disease, any of various health conditions that upon detection are required to be reported to public health authorities. For certain diseases, namely those of an infectious nature, mandatory disease reporting plays a critical role in preventing and controlling the spread of disease in populations. In many places, state and local officials have the authority to mandate disease reporting within their jurisdictions.

Each state, region, or country maintains a list of notifiable diseases. Such lists are not static; diseases are added or removed based on current public health needs. Notifiable diseases may be classified on the urgency of reporting and assigned varying time requirements. Generally, physicians and diagnostic laboratories are responsible for reporting cases to local health authorities who, in addition to immediate control and prevention activities, report cases to state or national health departments.

All states and territories are required to report cases of cholera, plague, yellow fever, and other quarantinable diseases of international concern. Internationally reportable diseases are dictated by the International Health Regulations set forth by the World Health Organization. Nonetheless, disease reporting may be hindered by local or national concerns about economic or political impacts associated with widespread knowledge of the presence of infectious disease.

The desire to prevent the spread of infectious diseases has long existed. However, with the realization in the 19th century that such diseases were caused by microorganisms, which can be transmitted from one person to another through direct or indirect contact, health officials became increasingly resolute in their efforts to prevent disease introduction and spread. In 1878 the U.S. Marine Hospital Service (later the Public Health Service, PHS) began gathering data on infectious diseases, including cholera and yellow fever, from overseas consuls. U.S. health officials used the data to develop quarantine measures to protect the country’s population against disease outbreaks. In 1893 the collection of data on notifiable diseases was expanded to include cases in the Unites States. In the following century, similar disease surveillance systems were established in other countries worldwide, including in Australia, China, India, and the United Kingdom.

Traditionally, notifiable diseases were infectious diseases. However, in 1995 the United States added the first noninfectious condition, elevated lead levels in the blood, to its surveillance system. The following year the first risk factor, cigarette smoking, was added.