Group B Streptococcal Invasive Disease
Reportable by Laboratories and ProvidersAbout this Reportable Disease
Infectious agent: Streptococcus agalacticae
Description of illness: Group B Strep (GBS) is often acquired in utero or during delivery, and occurs more frequently in low birth weight infants. In neonates two syndromes exist: early-onset (<7 days old) and late-onset (7-90 days old). Both can manifest as sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis. In adults, severe GBS infections can manifest as bloodstream infections (including sepsis), pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infections, and bone and joint infections. Pregnancy-related infections include bloodstream infections, amnionitis, urinary tract infection, and may cause stillbirth.
Interactive Disease Data
Laboratory Reporting for this Disease
Reporting requirements apply to all laboratories located within Tennessee, as well as laboratories outside of Tennessee that test residents of Tennessee, including laboratories located within healthcare facilities. Healthcare providers and laboratories in the same healthcare facility both have a duty to report. The type of organisms and analytes laboratories must report to TDH for 2026 are indicated, and there are several ways laboratories can report results to TDH.
- Manually report results to TDH by faxing or mailing a completed PH-1600 form to your local health department, or faxing to the state health office at (615) 741-3857
- Automatically submit results to TDH via electronic laboratory reporting (ELR), which automates the process of sharing data with TDH using interoperability standards.
- See the ELR Onboarding Handbook for details on the onboarding process, checklist, frequently asked questions, business rules, message format, and vocabulary.
- To initiate the ELR onboarding process with TDH, register in the Trading Partner Registration (TPR) system TPR provides documentation for Promoting Interoperability (PI) attestation and milestone letters to document onboarding progress. Contact MU.Health@tn.gov for assistance.
- Submit online via NBS. NBS is TDH's reportable disease system. To request an NBS account for reporting Complete this user survey to request an NBS account for reporting.
- Blood lead levels can be sent via fax ( (615) 741-3857), entered online, or reported using the instructions at this link.
Information about this Reportable Disease for Healthcare Providers
Clinical Summary
- GBS is a bacterial infection that can seriously affect newborns, pregnant women, and vulnerable adults.
- It can cause sepsis, pneumonia, or meningitis, especially in newborns.
- Symptoms include fever, breathing trouble, poor feeding, or irritability in infants.
- Prevention includes maternal screening and antibiotics during labor; treatment is with antibiotics.
Healthcare Provider Reporting
Healthcare reporting requirements apply to all providers located within Tennessee, as well as providers whose patients reside in Tennessee.
Providers must report cases of all diseases and conditions listed through one of these methods:
• Mail or fax a completed PH-1600 form to your local health department or fax to the state health office at (615) 741-3857
• Send automatically via electronic case reporting (eCR). See this TDH webpage for more information on eCR, register at the Trader Partner Registration website, or contact MU.Health@tn.gov for assistance.
• Submit online via NBS. NBS is TDH's reportable disease system. To request an NBS account for reporting Complete this user survey to request an NBS account for reporting.
• Blood lead levels can be sent via fax ( (615) 741-3857), entered online, or reported using the instructions at this link.
Information about this Reportable Disease for the Public
What It Is
Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis bacteria or other Bacillus-expressing anthrax toxin. It occurs naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals around the world. People can also contract anthrax if they are exposed during a bioterrorism event.
Anthrax is not contagious, and it can cause severe illness in both people and animals. It is very uncommon for people in the United States to be exposed to and become ill with anthrax.
Types
The type of illness a person develops when they have anthrax depends on how anthrax enters the body: through the skin, lungs, or the gastrointestinal tract. All types of anthrax can eventually cause systemic illness and death without antibiotic treatment.
Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms of anthrax depend on the type of infection and can take anywhere from one day to more than two months to present. All types of anthrax have the potential, if untreated, to spread throughout the body and cause severe illness and death.
Treatment
Patients with serious cases of anthrax require hospitalization. They may require aggressive treatment and supportive care, including continuous fluid drainage and mechanical ventilation.
Anthrax vaccine is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recommended for adults 18 through 65 years of age who are at risk of exposure to anthrax bacteria. These people should get 3 doses of anthrax vaccine, followed by booster doses for ongoing protection.
Antibiotics can be used for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to prevent anthrax from developing in people who have been exposed but have not developed symptoms. All types of anthrax infection can be treated with antibiotics.
Severe illness can occur if treatment is delayed because the patient didn't know they were exposed to anthrax. After anthrax toxins, which are released when anthrax spores are activated, have been released in the body, one possible treatment is to use anthrax antitoxin together with other treatment options, including antibiotics.
This Page Last Updated: March 25, 2026 at 8:53 PM