Notifiable disease
Encyclopedia
A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks. Many governments have enacted regulations for reporting of both human and animal (generally livestock) diseases. This usually happens during pandemic
s.
's International Health Regulations 1969 require disease reporting to the organization in order to help with its global surveillance and advisory role. The current (1969) regulations are rather limited with a focus on reporting of three main diseases: cholera
, yellow fever
and plague.
The revised International Health Regulations 2005 (scheduled to enter into force in June 2007) broadens this scope and is no longer limited to the notification of specific diseases. Whilst it does identify a number of specific diseases, it also defines a limited set of criteria to assist in deciding whether an event is notifiable to WHO.
for collation, analysis and publication.
regulates the notification of infectious animal diseases.
(Centre for Infections).
varied according to the laws of individual states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
(CSTE) also produced a list of nationally notifiable diseases that health officials should report to the CDC
's National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). A uniform criterion for reporting diseases to the NNDSS was introduced in 1990.
Pandemic
A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that is spreading through human populations across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide. A widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic...
s.
Human
The World Health OrganizationWorld Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
's International Health Regulations 1969 require disease reporting to the organization in order to help with its global surveillance and advisory role. The current (1969) regulations are rather limited with a focus on reporting of three main diseases: cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
, yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
and plague.
The revised International Health Regulations 2005 (scheduled to enter into force in June 2007) broadens this scope and is no longer limited to the notification of specific diseases. Whilst it does identify a number of specific diseases, it also defines a limited set of criteria to assist in deciding whether an event is notifiable to WHO.
Animal
The OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) monitors specific animal diseases on a global scale.Human
The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) was established in 1990. Notifications are made to the States or Territory health authority and computerised, de-identified records are then supplied to the Department of Health and AgeingDepartment of Health and Ageing (Australia)
The Department of Health and Ageing is an Australian Government department. Its role is to oversee the running of Australia including supporting universal and affordable access to medical, pharmaceutical and hospital services, while helping people to stay healthy through health promotion and...
for collation, analysis and publication.
Animal
Within Australia the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and ForestryDepartment of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is an Australian government department. The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s role is to develop and implement policies and programs that ensure Australia's agricultural, fisheries, food and forestry industries...
regulates the notification of infectious animal diseases.
Human
Human
Notification is regulated under the Heath Act 1956.Human
Requirement for the notification of infectious diseases originated near the end of the 19th century. The list started with a few select diseases and has since grown to 31. Currently disease notification for humans in the UK is regulated under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 and Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988. The governing body is the Health Protection AgencyHealth Protection Agency
The Health Protection Agency, or, in Welsh, Yr Asiantaeth Diogelu Iechyd is a statutory corporation. It is an independent UK organisation that was set up by the government in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards...
(Centre for Infections).
Children
There are also requirements for notification specific to children in the National standards for under 8s day care and childminding that state:"Office for Standards in EducationOffice for Standards in EducationThe Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
should be notified of any food poisoning affecting two or more children looked after on the premises, any child having meningitis or the outbreak on the premises of any notifiable disease identified as such in the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 or because the notification requirement has been applied to them by regulations (the relevant regulations are the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988).
Animal
In the UK notification of diseases in animals is regulated by the Animal Health Act 1981, as well as the Specified Diseases (Notification and Slaughter) Order 1992 (as amended) and Specified Diseases (Notification) Order 1996 (as amended). The act states that a police constable should be notified, however in practice a Defra divisional veterinary manager is notified and Defra will investigate.United States
In the past, notifiable diseases in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
varied according to the laws of individual states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists was organized in the USA in the early 1950s in response to the need to have at least one person in each state and territory responsible for public health surveillance of diseases and conditions of public health significance. Since then, CSTE has...
(CSTE) also produced a list of nationally notifiable diseases that health officials should report to the CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
's National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). A uniform criterion for reporting diseases to the NNDSS was introduced in 1990.