Which illness is listed as always reportable?

Which illness is listed as always reportable?

• A. Ebola
• B. AIDS
• C. Flu
• D. Diabetes

Answer: (B)

Public health relies on reporting certain diseases to health authorities to detect and control outbreaks. AIDS is always reportable because it is a serious, chronic infectious condition that governments require to be reported no matter what, so surveillance can monitor the epidemic, trace contacts, and guide prevention and care efforts. Flu is too common to mandate every case, and diabetes is a non-infectious chronic condition not kept on a universal reportable list. Ebola is extremely serious but not consistently required to be reported everywhere, since guidelines vary and its occurrence is sporadic.

Public health relies on reporting certain diseases to health authorities to detect and control outbreaks. AIDS is always reportable because it is a serious, chronic infectious condition that governments require to be reported no matter what, so surveillance can monitor the epidemic, trace contacts, and guide prevention and care efforts. Flu is too common to mandate every case, and diabetes is a non-infectious chronic condition not kept on a universal reportable list. Ebola is extremely serious but not consistently required to be reported everywhere, since guidelines vary and its occurrence is sporadic.