Epidemiology & Disease Control

Epidemiology & Disease Control  

Epidemiology is the study of the patterns and distribution of health and illness in a population and determination of the factors that influence population health. Disease Intervention Services represents the department's coordinated effort to control communicable disease, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, and vaccine-preventable diseases.

The primary responsibilities of the Office of Epidemiology and Disease Intervention Services are:

• Develop and maintain public health surveillance systems.
• Investigate and respond to reports of communicable diseases and conditions.
• Field investigations of cases and outbreak situations.
• Analyze and distribute public health data.
• Participate in emergency preparedness and response activities.
• Conduct influenza surveillance and education.
• Conduct community outreach health education activities.

Related Links:
Florida Department of Health, Epidemiology
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Reportable Diseases & Conditions
The goal of the communicable disease team is to receive, investigate, rapidly respond to, and rapidly report to Florida Department of Health all cases of reportable illnesses/conditions to protect the health of our citizens. We encourage the awareness of our community partners in the identification and reporting of the selected diseases and conditions. To report any of the conditions in the document below, please call the Office of Epidemiology and Disease Intervention Services.

To report by telephone:
(850)653- 2111 ext. 108 or 109 (M-F, 8am - 5pm)
(850)653-5980 or (850)370-0803 as an alternate number (Emergency, after hours or on holidays)

List of reportable diseases/conditions [1MB PDF]
Florida statutes chapter 381 - Disease Reporting [78KB]
HIPAA & disease reporting [171KB]

Tuberculosis Control
Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious, infectious, respiratory illness caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. SCHD is responsible for assuring tuberculosis control in our community.

Reporting & Controlling TB
Private physicians, hospitals, and laboratories are required to report all suspected or confirmed cases of TB to the SCHD via telephone. After cases are confirmed, each is reported to the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Staff members investigate and follow up on contacts to suspects and active TB cases. Follow-up includes TB skin testing, chest x-rays, laboratory tests, and treatment for Latent TB Infection (LTBI), usually over a period of nine months or as indicated. All suspects, active cases, and individuals with positive TB tests (who require LTBI therapy) are eligible to receive TB medications at the SCHD at no cost if they do not have the ability to pay.

All individuals suspected or confirmed to have TB and certain patients receiving LTBI treatment are placed on Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) throughout the course of treatment. This means that a SCHD employee observes the patient swallow his/her TB medication.

Related Links:
Florida Administrative Code rules