Disease Reporting

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 252Communicable 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 be 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.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND OTHER NOTIFIABLE CONDITIONS

Category I

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) or F-44151 (PDF fillable) 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
Any illness caused by an agent that is foreign, exotic or unusual to Wisconsin and that has public health implications 4
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
Measles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Meningococcal disease 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Outbreaks, suspected of other acute or occupationally–related diseases

  
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

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

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) or F-44151 (PDF fillable) 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
Hepatitis E 3, 4

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, 2, 3, 5

Vibriosis

 1, 2, 4

Yersiniosis

 3, 4

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

CATEGORY III:
The following diseases shall be reported to the state epidemiologist on a Wisconsin HIV Infection and AIDS Case Report Form, 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
       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

 

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

 

Last Revised: March 27, 2017