Other links concerning Notifiable Conditions

• Local Health Jurisdictions

• How to Report a Notifiable Condition

• Reporting Forms

• Guidelines

• Disease Surveillance Data

• Glossary

• Legal Requirements

• EpiTrends

• Notifiable Conditions & the Health Care Provider (PDF, 645KB)

• Notifiable Conditions & the Hospital  (PDF, 529KB)

• Notifiable Conditions & the Laboratory  (PDF, 314KB)

• Notifiable Conditions & the Local Health Jurisdiction  (PDF, 117KB)

• Notifiable Conditions & the Veterinarian (PDF, 129KB)

• Communicable Disease Epidemiology

• WEDSS (Washington Electronic Disease Surveillance System)

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Diphtheria in Washington State
The last case of toxigenic diphtheria reported in Washington occurred in 1979. Cases are most often associated with travel as diphtheria is not endemic to Washington.

Purpose of Reporting and Surveillance

• To alert public health authorities to the presence of C. diphtheria and the possibility of other cases developing in the area, a particular concern given the large number of susceptible adults.
• To assist in the diagnosis of cases.
• To assure early and appropriate treatment with diphtheria antitoxin and antibiotics.
• To obtain necessary laboratory specimens before antibiotic or antitoxin treatment.
• To identify and evaluate contacts and recommend appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent further spread of the disease.

Reporting Requirements

• Health care providers: immediately notifiable to Local Health Jurisdiction
• Hospitals: immediately notifiable to Local Health Jurisdiction
• Laboratories: notifiable to Local Health Jurisdiction within 2 workdays, specimen submission required
• Local health jurisdictions: notifiable to DOH Communicable Disease Epidemiology within 7 days of case investigation completion or summary information required within 21 days

Last update
Oct. 2002