Communicable Disease Surveillance

The primary responsibility for reporting communicable diseases rests with the physician; moreover, laboratories, school nurses, day care center directors, nursing homes/hospitals and state institutions or other locations providing health services.

New York State mandates all communicable diseases be reported directly to the health department for surveillance and follow-up. The following is a list of state reportable diseases:

Amebiasis Anthrax Arboviral Infection Animal bites for which rabies prophylaxis is given Babesiosis Botulism Brucellosis Campylobacteriosis Chancroid Chlamydia Cholera Cryptosporidiosis Cyclosporiasis Coronavirus Diphtheria Ebola E. Coli 0157:H7 Infection Ehrlichiosis Encephalitis Foodborne Illness Giardiasis Glanders Gonococcal Infection Haemophilus Influenzae Hantavirus Disease Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Hepatitis A Hepatitis B, C

Hepatitis A in a Food Handler Pregnant Hepatitis B Carrier Hospital Associated Infections Influenza (laboratory confirmed) Legionellosis Listeriosis Lyme Disease Lymphogranuloma Venereum Malaria Measles Melioidosis Meningitis (Aseptic or viral; Haemophilus; Meningococcal; other) Meningococcemia Monkeypox Mumps Pertussis Plague Poliomyelitis Psittacosis Q Fever Rabies Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Rubella Salmonellosis SARS Shigatoxin-Producing Infection

Shigellosis Smallpox Staphylococcus Aureus Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B Poisoning Streptococcal Infection (Group A Beta-hemolytic; Group B) Streptococcus Pneumoniae Syphilis Tetanus Toxic Shock Syndrome Trachomatis Infection Transmissable Spongeform Encephalopathies Trichinosis Tuberculosis Tularemia Typhoid Vibriosis Vaccinia Disease Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Yellow Fever Yersiniosis Zika

Surveillance and follow-up continues to expand as more diseases become reportable.

The communicable disease program staff is responsible for morbidity reporting and gathering, compiling and interpreting data and statistics for all communicable diseases reported in Niagara County. They communicate with Niagara County based hospitals on a daily basis to assess for cluster activity or anything unusual and the electronic state reporting system has greatly improved staff efficiency.

Community education continues to be a vital component of the program. Staff is available to provide information to the general public on a variety of infections and diseases.

You can reach the Communicable Disease Surveillance Program in Niagara County by calling (716) 278-8598 or email us at nchealth@niagaracounty.com.