Reportable Diseases
Communicable diseases are easily spread from person to person. Prompt reporting of a communicable disease can allow public health officials to locate and treat exposed persons, identify and contain outbreaks, and interrupt disease transmission. The information obtained from disease reporting is also used to monitor disease trends, identify high risk groups, develop policy, and design prevention programs.
2025 Reporting Guidance - *Effective January 1, 2025
Detailed Provider Guidance (coming soon)
Guía detallada para proveedores (próximamente)
As of July 1, 2025 the TN State Legislature is requiring reports of Alpha-Gal Syndrome. This will be added to the Reportable Diseases Lists referenced above during the normal revision cycle and be available for January 1, 2026. In the interim, please follow your typical reporting mechanisms and include alpha-gal syndrome in your data feeds or manual reports. Please see CDC’s guidance on the condition for more information as we work to develop TN-specific guidance on reporting https://www.cdc.gov/alpha-gal-syndrome/about/index.html.
Reportable Diseases
Alphabetical listing of reportable diseases and events including description, reporting requirements, laboratory testing algorithms, case definitions, investigation protocols, and report forms. Surveillance data and summary reports for most reportable diseases and events are found here https://tn.gov/health/ceds-weeklyreports.html.
A
Acinetobacter species, Carbapenem-resistant (Davidson County)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
Anaplasmosis
Anthrax
C
California Serogroup/LaCrosse virus infection
Candida auris (including rule-out Candida auris)
Campylobacteriosis (including EIA or PCR positive stools)
Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Chagas disease
Chikungunya
Chlamydia
Cholera
Clostridioides difficile
Colistin-Resistant (Plasmid-Mediated) Gram Negative Bacteria
Congenital Rubella Syndrome
Coronavirus, Novel
COVID-19
Cronobacter, Invasive
Cryptosporidiosis
Cyclosporiasis
H
Haemophilus influenzae Invasive Disease
Hansen's disease (Leprosy)
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
Hepatitis, Viral-HBsAg positive infant
Hepatitis, Viral-HBsAg positive pregnant female
Hepatitis, Viral-Type A acute
Hepatitis, Viral-Type B acute
Hepatitis, Viral-Type C acute
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Healthcare Associated Infections
Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections
Clostridium difficile Infections
Dialysis Events
Influenza Vaccination, Healthcare Personnel
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus Aureus positive blood cultures
Surgical Site Infections
Ventilator Associated Events
L
LaCrosse virus infection
Lead Levels (blood)
Legionellosis
Leprosy (Hansen's disease)
Listeriosis
Lyme disease
M
Malaria
Measles (Rubeola)
Meningitis-Other Bacterial
Meningococcal Disease
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (Invasive Disease)
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
Mpox
Mumps
Mycobacterium nontuberculous species-extra-pulmonary only
Q
R
Rabies
Ricin Poisoning
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rubella (German Measles)
Rubella Syndrome, Congenital
Rubeola (Measles)
S
Salmonellosis: Other than Typhoid fever/ Paratyphoid Fever
Salmonellosis: Typhoid fever/ Parathyroid Fever
Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (including Shiga-like toxin positive stools, E. coli O157, E. coli non-O157)
Shigellosis
Smallpox
Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis
St. Louis Encephalitis virus infection
Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) Pulmonary Poisoning
Staphylococcus aureus: Methicillin Resistant Invasive Disease
Streptococcus pneumoniae Invasive Disease (IPD)
Staphylococcus aureus: Vancomycin non-sensitive - all forms
Sudan Virus Disease
Syphilis Congenital
Syphilis Other
T
Tetanus
Toxic Shock Syndrome: Staphylococcal
Toxic Shock Syndrome: Streptococcal
Tuberculosis, confirmed and suspect cases of active disease
Tuberculosis (Infection)
Tularemia
V
Vancomycin Non-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (All forms)
Vancomycin Resistant Enterocci (VRE) Invasive Disease
Varicella Deaths
Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus infection
Vibriosis
Viral Hemorrhagic Fever
Z
An excerpt of Reportable Diseases Rule and Regulations is below. Click a here for the full guidance.
1200-14-01-.02 REPORTABLE DISEASES.
- All healthcare providers and other persons knowing of or suspecting a case, culture, or specimen of a reportable disease or event shall report that occurrence to the Department of Health in the time and manner set forth by the Commissioner in the List.
- The Commissioner shall re-evaluate, update, and post the List at least annually and from time to time as appropriate. The Commissioner shall post the annual update on or before November 15th of each year and this new List shall become effective starting January 1st of the following year. If the Commissioner posts an updated List more frequently than on an annual basis, then the updated List will become effective on the date stated in the List. The List shall be available online at the Department of Health’s web page and in print.
Regional health office e-mail addresses and contact numbers:
The Tennessee Department of Health Laboratory Services consists of the Microbiology Laboratories and Environmental Laboratories in Nashville and Knoxville.
For details on which diseases, events, or conditions, have requested or required submission to the state public health laboratory, along with submission requirements, refer to the Detailed Laboratory Guidance document. Additional information about submission requirements, including forms, is available at https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/lab.html. In addition, a directory of services is available at https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/lab/directory-of-services.html.
Central Laboratory
Address for letter (non-specimen) mail
TDH Laboratory Services630 Hart Lane
Nashville, TN 37243 Physical Location and Address for items shipped by carriers other than US Postal Service (FedEx, UPS) TDH Laboratory Services
630 Hart Lane
Nashville, TN 37216 Address for specimens shipped via the US Postal Service TDH Laboratory Services
P.O. Box 305130
Nashville, TN 37230
Phone: (615) 262-6300
Fax: (615) 262-6393
Regional Laboratory
Address for letter and specimen mail via US Postal Service
Knoxville Regional LaboratoryP.O. Box 59019
Knoxville, TN 37950 Physical Location and address for items shipped by carriers other than the US Postal Service (FedEx, UPS) Knoxville Regional Laboratory
2101 Medical Center Way
Knoxville, TN 37920
Phone: (865) 549-5201
Fax: (865) 594-5199