Reportable Diseases

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Phloston

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When I've looked into resources discussing which diseases are reportable/notifiable, the lists seem to go on forever and are relatively non-specific (ahem, Wikipedia).

USMLE Rx says the following diseases are reportable in all 50 states:

HepA
HepB
Syphilis
Gonorrhea
Mumps
Measles
Rubella
Tuberculosis
Salmonellosis
Shigellosis
AIDS (not HIV)
Varicella


On the other hand, USMLE Rx says HepC, chlamydia and HIV are NOT reportable in all 50 states.

The bottom line is: in terms of the USMLE, have any of you compiled a specific list of which diseases are notifiable?

Have any of you encountered any practice (or real) questions that come to mind regarding notifiable diseases?

Thanks,

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When I've looked into resources discussing which diseases are reportable/notifiable, the lists seem to go on forever and are relatively non-specific (ahem, Wikipedia).

USMLE Rx says the following diseases are reportable in all 50 states:

HepA
HepB
Syphilis
Gonorrhea
Mumps
Measles
Rubella
Tuberculosis
Salmonellosis
Shigellosis
AIDS (not HIV)
Varicella


On the other hand, USMLE Rx says HepC, chlamydia and HIV are NOT reportable in all 50 states.

The bottom line is: in terms of the USMLE, have any of you compiled a specific list of which diseases are notifiable?

Have any of you encountered any practice (or real) questions that come to mind regarding notifiable diseases?

Thanks,

Not sure. I think the way these usually come on exams though are "You have a patient who comes in with a reportable disease and they don't want you to report it". So it's usually not knowing that the disease is reportable. It's more of a ethics/procedural question on when and where you're required to do it.

Could be wrong though.
 
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Why the hell isn't HIV reportable in all 50 states but HBV is?
 
Why the hell isn't HIV reportable in all 50 states but HBV is?

Which is more contagious? Which carries more stigma? I think the answer also has to do with anonymous testing, and public confidence in doctors to not "reveal" their status.

Although AIDS is a reportable condition in all 50 states, name-based HIV data are not reportable in all states. However, more states are pushing for mandatory reporting of HIV data (without names).

E.g. "Anonymous HIV testing is performed without any record of a patient's identity. Because information required for reporting HIV is not available in anonymous programs, no case reporting will originate there. In confidential testing, test results are recorded in the individual's medical chart. For people who test positive at confidential test sites, a case report will be sent to the County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency. People who initially test positive at anonymous test sites will be reported to the County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, by non-name code, once they begin treatment with a health care provider. "

Or you could just memorize it :p
 
Which is more contagious? Which carries more stigma? I think the answer also has to do with anonymous testing, and public confidence in doctors to not "reveal" their status.
HBV is like ~100x? more contagious, but the list of diseases don't seem to be based on contagion level. I mean most HBV cases resolve spontaneously. I'd figure a chronic and contagious illness is more important to report than something that remits without treatment most of the time.

But yeah, just memorize it. I know. It just seems counterproductive from a public health standpoint. HCV and HIV should be reportable.
 
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I think the other big one to remember is that gonorrhea is reportable in all 50 but chlamydia isn't.

I had a USMLE Rx question with both of those as answer choices, and obviously it was like 45% chose one and 45% chose the other. Although syphilis is important to remember too, that's a bit easier bc it's less common than G or C as it is.

IIRC the vignette basically just gave a women with PID and then asked about reporting measures.
 
Bump to update changes in recent years. I read in USMLE Rx that HIV is reportable in all 50 states now. Does anyone know of any other diseases whose status has changed? (Phloston made a great list up there, and figured it'd be easier to update)
 
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Bump to update changes in recent years. I read in USMLE Rx that HIV is reportable in all 50 states now. Does anyone know of any other diseases whose status has changed? (Phloston made a great list up there, and figured it'd be easier to update)

I'm surprised anthrax isn't on Phloston's list. You can check this list out, although I don't know if it accounts for all 50 states. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_notifiable_diseases

Meanwhile, I'm not going to bother memorizing a laundry list of diseases just so I can get 0-1 question right. Here's my general rule of thumb (at least for Step 1): if it either is vaccinatable, kills you in a matter of days, makes you bleed out of every orifice in your body, is sexually trasmitted, mentioned on the news, or is any combination of the aforementioned, then it's reportable.
 
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Updated list:

STD's- HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis. (not herpes),
Hepatitis ABC,
Vaccine preventable - MMR, Dipht, Pertusis,
Salmonella, Shigella,
TB


Did i miss any? Is any wrong?
 
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