Disease Surveillance

HCPHES Disease Surveillance Section activities include:

Routine investigation of Notifiable Conditions in Texas

• Investigation of emerging or reemerging diseases of public health significance

• Recognition and investigation of disease outbreaks

• Recommendation and/or implementation of appropriate public health interventions as needed

• Provision of information on specific diseases to general public, schools and medical community

• Reporting on disease activity

Epidemiologist on call: (713) 439-6000

General Information on Diseases 

• HCPHES Disease Fact sheets

• DSHS IDCU Topics A-Z

• CDC Health Topics A-Z 

Specific Disease Reporting Requirements

• List of Notifiable Conditions in Texas

• DSHS Epidemiology Case Criteria Guide

• Texas Statutes - Health and Safety Codes

• Recommendations for the Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases in a Group-Care Setting

• Forms to use for reporting or laboratory specimens

  • HCPHES forms (most frequently used)  pdf files

    • General disease reporting form

    • Chickenpox reporting form

    • Submersion reporting form

    • Sharps Injury reporting form

  • HDHHS Laboratory submission forms

    • Virology form

  • Notifiable conditions requiring additional information from DSHS

    • Disease Specific Supplemental Surveillance Forms

 HCPHES Epidemiology Reports

• Frequency and Rate of Leading Ten Reported Diseases Completed** By HCPHES Epidemiology Program for Harris County excluding Houston,
  1st and 2nd Quarter, 2006

• Frequency and Rate of Leading Ten Reported Diseases Completed** By HCPHES Epidemiology Program for Harris County excluding Houston,
   3rd & 4th Quarter, 2006

Resources

• Importance of Public Health Reporting

  • Infectious Disease MMWR

  • Occupational Disease MMWR

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)

  • DSHS Infectious Disease Control Unit

• American Public Health Association

• Texas Public Health Association

• Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists

• International Society for Disease Surveillance