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Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Communicable  Diseases Subjects A-Z
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AIDS/HIV

Immunization

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Tuberculosis
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Disease Reporting

Disease Reporting

All external hyperlinks are provided for your information and for the benefit of the general public. The Department of Health Services does not testify to, sponsor, or endorse the accuracy of the information provided on externally linked pages.

The diseases and conditions listed on this page are considered to have significant public health impact, and any confirmed or suspected cases must be reported promptly.

Requirements for the timing of reporting, once the disease or condition is recognized or suspected, vary by disease. In addition to the information listed below, general reporting requirements are described in Wisconsin Statute Chapter 252 Communicable Diseases. The specific reporting requirements are described in Chapter DHS 145 Control of Communicable Diseases. A list of reportable conditions is provided in Chapter DHS 145 - Appendix A.

Questions concerning this information may directed to: Bureau of Communicable Diseases and Emergency Response - 608-267-9003

Case Reporting Methods and Contact Information

Category I diseases must be reported IMMEDIATELY by telephone (preferred) or fax to the patient's local health officer. Category II diseases must be reported within 72 hours either electronically through the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS), by mail or fax using an Acute and Communicable Disease Case Report (F-44151) or STD Case Report Form (F-44243), or by other means. HIV/AIDS should be reported directly to the Wisconsin AIDS/HIV Program.

  • Listing of Wisconsin Local Health Officers

  • Register to report electronically through WEDSS 
    (Note: 75% of disease reports are now received through WEDSS)

  • Wisconsin Bureau of Communicable Diseases and Emergency Response

    Phone: 608-267-9003

    Secure Fax Numbers:
    AIDS/HIV Program
    608-266-1288
    Epidemiology Program  608-261-4976
    Immunization Program 608-267-9493
    STD Program 608-261-9301
    TB Program 608-266-0049

    Mail copy to:
    Wisconsin State Epidemiologist
    Bureau of Communicable Diseases and Emergency Response
        Specify Disease or Program
    1 West Wilson Street - Room 272
    Madison WI  53703

  • Paper report forms (F-44151 and  F-44243) 

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND OTHER NOTIFIABLE CONDITIONS

Category I  |  Category II  |  Category III 

CATEGORY I:  
The following diseases are of urgent public health importance and shall be reported IMMEDIATELY by telephone or fax to the patient’s local health officer upon identification of a case or suspected case. In addition to the immediate report, within 24 hours, complete and submit a case report electronically through the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS), by mail or fax using an Acute and Communicable Disease Case Report F-44151 (Word fillable, 166 KB) or F-44151 (PDF fillable, 129 KB) or by other means. Public health intervention is expected as indicated. See Chapter DHS 145.04 (3) (a) and Chapter 252.05. 

Case reporting methods 

Category I Disease/Outbreak

Notes
Anthrax 1, 4, 5
Botulism 1, 4
Botulism, infant 1, 2, 4
Cholera 1, 3, 4
Diphtheria 1, 3, 4, 5
Foodborne or waterborne outbreaks 1, 2, 3, 4

Haemophilus influenzae invasive disease (including epiglottitis)

 1, 2, 3, 5
Hantavirus infection 1, 2, 4, 5
Hepatitis A 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Hepatitis E 3, 4
Measles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Meningococcal disease 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Pertussis (whooping cough) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Plague 1, 4, 5
Poliovirus infection (paralytic or nonparalytic) 1, 4, 5

Rabies (human)

 1, 4, 5
Ricin toxin 4, 5
Rubella 1, 2, 4, 5
Rubella (congenital syndrome) 1, 2, 5
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Smallpox 4, 5
Tuberculosis 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and 
Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) infection		 1, 4, 5
Yellow fever 1, 4
Any illness caused by an agent that is foreign, exotic or unusual to Wisconsin and that has public health implications 4

Notes Key:

  1. Infectious diseases designated as notifiable at the national level.
  2. Wisconsin or CDC follow-up form is required. Local health departments have templates of specific forms in the Wisconsin case reporting and public health follow-up guidelines (EpiNet).
  3. High-risk assessment by local health department is needed to determine if patient or member of patient's household is employed in food handling, daycare or health care.
  4. Source investigation by local health department is needed.
  5. Immediate treatment is recommended, i.e., antibiotic or biologic for the patient or contact or both.

CATEGORY II:  
The following diseases shall be reported to the local health officer either electronically through the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS), by mail or fax using an Acute and Communicable Disease Case Report F-44151 (Word fillable, 166 KB) or F-44151 (PDF fillable, 129 KB) or by other means within 72 hours upon recognition of a case or suspected case. Public health intervention is expected as indicated. See Chapter DHS 145.04 (3) (b) and Chapter 252.05. 

The sexually transmitted diseases shall be reported to the local health officer within 72 hours on a Sexually Transmitted Diseases Laboratory and Morbidity Epidemiologic Case Report  F-44243 (Word fillable, 138 KB)  or by entering the data into the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System or by other means within 72 hours of the identification of a case or suspected case. Public health intervention is expected as indicated. See Chapter DHS 145.15 and Chapter 252.11 (7)(b). 

Case reporting methods

Category II Disease/Outbreak

Notes

Arboviral infection (encephalitis/meningitis)

 1, 2, 4

Babesiosis

 4, 5

Blastomycosis

 5

Brucellosis

 1, 4

Campylobacteriosis (campylobacter infection)

 3, 4

Chancroid

 1, 2, 4, 5

Chlamydia trachomatis infection

 1, 2, 4, 5

Cryptosporidiosis

 1, 2, 3, 4

Cyclosporiasis

 1, 4, 5

Ehrlichiosis / Anaplasmosis

 1, 5

E. coli 0157:H7
   other enterohemorrhagic E. coli
   enteropathogenic E. coli
   enteroinvasive E. coli
   enterotoxigenic E. coli

 1, 2, 3, 4

Giardiasis

 3, 4

Gonorrhea

 1, 2, 4, 5

Hemolytic uremic syndrome

 1, 2, 4

Hepatitis B

 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Hepatitis C

 1, 2

Hepatitis D

 2, 3, 4, 5

Histoplasmosis

 5

Influenza-associated hospitalizations

 *, 2

Influenza-associated pediatric death

 1, 2

Influenza A virus infection, novel subtypes

 1, 2

Kawasaki disease

 2

Legionellosis

 1, 2, 4

Leprosy (Hansen disease)

 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Leptospirosis

 4

Listeriosis

 2, 4

Lyme disease

 1, 2

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection

 4

Malaria

 1, 2, 4

Meningitis, bacterial (other than Haemophilus influenzae or meningococcal)

 2

Mumps

 1, 2, 4, 5

Mycobacterial disease (nontuberculous)

  

Pelvic inflammatory disease 

 1, 2, 5

Psittacosis

 1, 2, 4

Q Fever

 4, 5

Rheumatic fever (newly diagnosed and meeting the Jones criteria)

 5

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

 1, 2, 4, 5

Salmonellosis

 1, 3, 4

Shigellosis

 1, 3, 4

Streptococcal disease
(all invasive disease caused by Groups A and B Streptococci)

  1

Streptococcus pneumoniae invasive disease (invasive pneumococcal)

  1,2

Syphilis

 1, 2, 4, 5

Tetanus

 1, 2, 5

Toxic shock syndrome

 1, 2

Toxic substance related diseases:
   Infant methemoglobinemia
   Lead intoxication (specify Pb levels)
   Other metal and pesticide poisonings

   

 

Toxoplasmosis

  

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE, human)

  

Trichinosis

 1, 2, 4

Tularemia

 4

Typhoid fever

 1, 2, 3, 4

*Varicella (chickenpox)

 1, 3, 5

Varicella (chicken pox) – report by number of cases only

  

Vibriosis

 1, 2, 4

Yersiniosis

 3, 4

Suspected outbreaks of other acute or occupationally–related diseases

  

Case reporting methods

Notes Key:

  1. Infectious diseases designated as notifiable at the national level.
  2. Wisconsin or CDC follow-up form is required. Local health departments have templates of specific forms in the Wisconsin case reporting and public health follow-up guidelines (EpiNet).
  3. High-risk assessment by local health department is needed to determine if patient or member of patient's household is employed in food handling, daycare, or health care.
  4. Source investigation by local health department is needed.
  5. Immediate treatment is recommended, i.e., antibiotic or biologic for the patient or contact or both.

* Effective November 29, 2010 Influenza associated hospitalizations are reportable in Wisconsin within 72 hours of identification to local public health agencies.

CATEGORY III:  
The following diseases shall be reported to the state epidemiologist on an AIDS Case Report (F-44264) or a Wisconsin Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection Confidential Case Report (F-44338) or by other means within 72 hours after identification of a case or suspected case. See Chapter 252.15 (7) (b) and  Chapter DHS 145.04 (3) (b) 

Case reporting methods and Contact information

  • Send the case report form in and envelope marked "Confidential" To:
    James Vergeront, MD
    Wisconsin Bureau of Communicable Diseases and Emergency Response
    1 W Wilson Street - Room 265
    Madison WI  53703

  • To obtain case reporting forms, contact the AIDS/HIV Program - 608-267-5287

Category III HIV/AIDS

Notes
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)  1, 2, 4
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection 2, 4
Results of all CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts (counts and percentages) performed on persons with HIV infection

Results of all HIV viral load tests (including undetectable, detected and specific values)

2

Notes Key:

  1. Infectious diseases designated as notifiable at the national level.
  2. Wisconsin or CDC follow-up form is required. Local health departments have templates of specific forms in the EpiNet manual.
  3. High-risk assessment by local health department is needed to determine if patient or member of patient's household is employed in food handling, daycare or health care.
  4. Source investigation by local health department is needed.
  5. Immediate treatment is recommended, i.e., antibiotic or biologic for the patient or contact or both.

Paper forms and ordering instructions

  • Acute and Communicable Disease Case Report form F-44151 (Word fillable, 166 KB) or F-44151 (PDF fillable, 129 KB)

  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases Laboratory and Morbidity Epidemiologic Case Report form F-44243 (Word fillable, 138 KB)

  • Electronically order forms. Follow the instructions at the top of the page and email the order form to dhsfmdphpph@wisconsin.gov

    Questions concerning ordering of forms can be addressed to Cris Caputo, 608-267-9054

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Last Revised: May 14, 2013