Reportable Diseases and Conditions

The goal of the communicable disease team is to receive, investigate, rapidly respond to, and rapidly report to Florida Department of Health all cases of reportable illnesses/conditions to protect the health of our citizens.  We encourage the awareness of our community partners in the identification and reporting of the selected diseases and conditions.  To report any of the conditions in the document below, please call the Office of Epidemiology and Disease Intervention Services.

To report by telephone:

• (941) 861-2873 (M-F, 8am - 5pm)

• (941) 861-2900 (Emergency, after hours or on holidays)

Forms and further information:

• Communicable Disease Report Form [96KB pdf - updated 7/29/14]
• List of reportable diseases/conditions - Practitioners Category [3.1MB PDF]
• List of reportable diseases/conditions - Laboratories [4.5mb pdf]
• Florida statutes chapter 381 - Disease Reporting [78KB]
• HIPAA & disease reporting [171KB]

Tuberculosis Control

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious, infectious, respiratory illness caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.  DOH-Sarasota is responsible for assuring tuberculosis control in our community. 

Reporting & Controlling TB
Private physicians, hospitals, and laboratories are required to report all suspected or confirmed cases of TB to the DOH-Sarasota via telephone.  After cases are confirmed, each is reported to the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Staff members investigate and follow up on contacts to suspects and active TB cases.  Follow-up includes TB skin testing, chest x-rays, laboratory tests, and treatment for Latent TB Infection (LTBI), usually over a period of nine months or as indicated.  All suspects, active cases, and individuals with positive TB tests (who require LTBI therapy) are eligible to receive TB medications at the DOH-Sarasota at no cost if they do not have the ability to pay.

All individuals suspected or confirmed to have TB and certain patients receiving LTBI treatment are placed on Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) throughout the course of treatment.  This means that a DOH-Sarasota employee observes the patient swallow his/her TB medication.

• TST/IGRA-Positive, TB Reportable Form

Related Links: 

• Florida Administrative Code rules