Some nationally notifiable diseases, like chickenpox and lead poisoning, are not sexually transmitted. Others, like chlamydia and syphilis, are.
Reporting these diseases to the government allows for their incidence to be monitored and tracked. This information is important, as accurate and efficient reporting can help identify outbreaks, as well as help guide decisions and resource allocations that can help protect citizens as early as possible.
This process is designed to balance privacy and public health.
STIs on the Nationally Notifiable Diseases Reporting List
There are several sexually transmitted infections (STIs) on the nationally notifiable diseases reporting list. As of 2021, the reportable STIs are:
Chlamydia: Confirmed cases Chancroid: Confirmed and probable cases Gonorrhea: Confirmed and probable cases Hepatitis B: Confirmed acute cases; both confirmed and probable chronic cases HIV: Confirmed cases and possible perinatal exposures Syphilis: Confirmed and probable cases
STIs are not nationally notifiable diseases because the government wants to invade your privacy. They’re nationally notifiable diseases because the government has a vested interest in protecting the public health.
It is possible to reduce the spread of STIs through regular screening, prompt treatment, and efficient contact tracing. Being aware of any concentrated epidemics or new outbreaks allows the government to intervene with prevention and/or treatment measures most efficiently.
For example, it was at least in part due to national disease reporting systems that scientists became aware of the HIV epidemic among heterosexual, African American residents of Washington DC.
In the first decade of the 2000s, the population of the nation’s capital had HIV levels similar to those seen in Sub-Saharan Africa. This realization led to a number of targeted interventions designed at improving prevention, testing, and treatment in the District.
