Report a Disease or Outbreak

To report diseases immediately, use the 24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736

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Outbreak Reporting

Immediately report to the department outbreaks of any kind, diseases that occur in unusual numbers or circumstances, unusual syndromes, or uncommon diseases. Outbreaks may be infectious, environmental or occupational in origin and include food-borne outbreaks or illness secondary to chemical exposure (e.g., pesticides, anhydrous ammonia).

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Bioterrorism Reporting

Immediately report diseases, syndromes, poisonings and conditions of any kind suspected or caused by a biological, chemical or radiological agent or toxin when there is reasonable suspicion that the disease, syndrome, poisoning or condition may be the result of a deliberate act such as terrorism. Examples of these include (but are not limited to) anthrax, mustard gas, sarin gas, ricin, tularemia and smallpox.

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Reportable Diseases

DiseaseWhen to ReportHow to Report
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-defining conditions7 days

Report for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa. 

Please report the following cases; all directions are provided in the reporting form document.

For HIV/AIDS case reporting questions, call (515) 322-8819.

Acute flaccid myelitis3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
AnthraxImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.
Botulism (Including infant botulism)ImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.
Brucellosis (Brucella)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Campylobacteriosis (Campylobacter)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Candida auris3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Carbapenemase-Producing Organisms (CPO)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Chlamydia3 days

Report for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa. Report by one of the following methods:

Cholera1 dayReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
Phone, IDSS or fax.
Laboratories: send isolate or specimen to SHL.
Cronobacter invasive infection (in infants)1 dayReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
Phone, IDSS or fax.
Cryptosporidiosis3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Cyclospora3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Laboratories: send isolate or specimen to SHL.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
IDSS or fax: 1-515-242-6013.
DiphtheriaImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline:1-800-362-2736.
Escherichia coli shiga toxin-producing and related diseases (includes HUS and TTP)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Laboratories: send isolate or specimen to SHL.
Giardiasis (Giardia)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Gonorrhea3 days

Report for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa. Report by one of the following methods:

Haemophilus influenzae type B invasive diseaseImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline:1-800-362-2736.
Laboratories send isolate or specimen to SHL.
Hansen’s disease (leprosy)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Hantavirus syndromes3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Hepatitis A1 dayReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
Phone, IDSS or fax.
Hepatitis B, C, D, E3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases

Death of a person with HIV

Perinatally exposed newborn and child
(newborn and child who was born to a woman living with HIV)

7 days

Report for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa. 

Please report the following cases; all directions are provided in the reporting form document.

For HIV/AIDS case reporting questions, call (515) 322-8819.

Legionellosis (Legionella)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Listeria monocytogenes invasive disease1 dayReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
Phone, IDSS or fax.
Laboratories: send isolate or specimen to SHL.
Malaria3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Measles (rubeola)ImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.
Meningococcal invasive diseaseImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.
Laboratories: send isolate or specimen to SHL.
Mosquito-borne diseases (e.g. chikungunya, dengue, eastern equine encephalitis, Jamestown Canyon, La Crosse, St. Louis, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, West Nile, western equine encephalitis, and Zika)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Mpox1 dayReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
Phone, IDSS or fax.
Mumps3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in
Children (MIS-C) Associated with COVID-19
3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Pertussis3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
PlagueImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.
PoliomyelitisImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.
Psittacosis3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Q Fever 3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Rabies, animal3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Rabies, humanImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.
Rubella (including congenital)1 dayReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
Phone, IDSS or fax.
Salmonellosis (Salmonella)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Laboratories: send isolate or specimen to SHL.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)ImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.
Shigellosis (Shigella)3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Laboratories: send isolate or specimen to SHL.
SmallpoxImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.
Syphilis3 days

Report for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa. Report by one of the following methods:

Tetanus3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Tickborne diseases (e.g., alpha-gal syndrome,
anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Bourbon virus
disease, ehrlichiosis, Heartland virus disease,
Lyme disease, Powassan virus disease, spotted
fever group rickettsioses and tickborne
relapsing fever)
3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, fax or mail.
Tuberculosis - Pulmonary and laryngeal (infectious)1 day

Report for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.

  • Phone (515) 281-7504
  • Fax (515) 281-4570
  • IDSS 
Tuberculosis - Extra-pulmonary3 days

Report for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.

  • Phone (515) 281-7504
  • Fax (515) 281-4570
  • IDSS 
Tularemia3 daysReport for Iowa residents.
Phone, IDSS, or fax.
Typhoid Fever1 dayReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
Phone, IDSS or fax.
Vancomycin intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA)1 dayReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
Phone, IDSS or fax.
Laboratories: send isolate or specimen to SHL.
Viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) (e.g., Lassa, Marburg, Ebola, Crimean-Congo)ImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.
Yellow Fever     ImmediatelyReport for Iowa residents and for residents of other states diagnosed or treated in Iowa.
24/7 disease reporting telephone hotline: 1-800-362-2736.

Reporting of the above diseases is required by Iowa Administrative Code [641] Chapter 1.

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Additional Reporting Options

  • Fax: Iowa Disease Surveillance System (IDSS) Secure—(515) 281-5698
  • Phone: 1-800-362-2736
  • Mail: Iowa Division of Public Health
    Attn: Disease Reporting
    Lucas State Office Building
    321 E. 12th St.
    Des Moines, IA 50319-0075

For Iowa Disease Surveillance System (IDSS) related questions, call the Center for Acute Disease Epidemiology at 1-800-362-2736.

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Specimen Submission Questions

For specimen submission questions, call the State Hygienic Laboratory at 319-335-4500.

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