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1. Why do I need to report communicable diseases and notable conditions?

Several Texas laws require that certain conditions (suspected, probable or confirmed) be reported to the state or local health department. View the following resources:

• Article 97, Title 25, Texas Administrative Code
• The Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Act (Health and Safety Code, Chapter 81, 84 and 87)
• List of Notifiable Conditions (Texas Department of State Health Services)

Disease Surveillance

Efficient disease surveillance helps:

• Determine the extent of morbidity within the community
• Identify and evaluate risk factors
• Promptly detect potential outbreaks
• Protect the health of the public

2. Who is responsible for reporting communicable diseases?

Texas laws mandate that the following are responsible for disease reporting:

• Any professional having knowledge of a suspected reportable condition
• Hospitals and hospital laboratories
• Physicians, dentists, veterinarians, chiropractors
• School authorities, including a superintendent, principal, teacher, school health official or counselor

Please note not all laboratories report directly to the health department. Health professionals are responsible for reporting cases regardless of whether it may be reported by another agency.

3. What is reportable?

View the list of Texas notifiable conditions. There are diseases that are to be reported immediately, within one working day or within one week. All conditions/diseases need to be reported in compliance with the given time frame. Outbreaks, rare occurrences such as exotic diseases or an unusual number of diseases should also be reported, even if it is not a notifiable condition.