Current through September 17, 2024
For the information of the public, the latest editions of
these publications are used as a reference by the DHHS Division of Public
Health, local public health departments, and
healthcare providers in the control of communicable
diseases: "Control of Communicable Diseases Manual", published by the American
Public Health Association, 800 I Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001-3710 and
disease-specific recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as published in the
"Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report."
007.01 Public Health Interventions,
Noncompliance, and Directed Health Measures
1-007.01A
Public Health
Interventions: The healthcare provider attending a case or
suspected case of a disease requiring isolation, quarantine, or other public
health interventions, must make reasonable efforts to prevent the spread of the
disease to others and must report the case to the local public health
department or the DHHS Division of Public Health.
1-007.01B
Noncompliance:
Healthcare
providers must report immediately to the local public health department or the
DHHS Division of Public Health, the name, address, and other pertinent
information for all individuals with diseases requiring isolation, quarantine,
or other public health interventions who refuse to comply with prescribed
public health interventions.
1-007.01C
Directed Health
Measures: The DHHS Division of Public Health may order a directed
health measure as provided in 173 NAC 6, or in the case of tuberculosis, advise
the local county attorney for proceedings under the Tuberculosis Detection and
Prevention Act.
007.02
Contact Notification in Reportable Communicable Disease and Poisoning
Investigations
1-007.02A
Notification of Possible Contacts: In order to protect
the public's health and to control the spread of disease, in cases of
reportable communicable disease or poisonings other than those covered by 173
NAC
1-007.02B, the
DHHS Division of Public Health may notify individuals who are determined to be
possible contacts of the source of the disease or poisoning by any means
reasonably necessary.
1-007.02B
Partner Identification and Notification in STD Cases:
1-007.02B1 In order to protect the public's
health, when an individual is tested and found to have an STD as defined in 173
NAC 1-004.05, the DHHS Division of Public Health or local public health
department will conduct partner notification and referral activities in cases
of HIV disease and early syphilis, and may conduct these activities as
appropriate for other STD's. Other local health related agencies may conduct
these activities if staff have received appropriate training as determined by
DHHS.
1-007.02B2 "Partner" is
defined as any individual, including a spouse, who has shared needles,
syringes, or drug paraphernalia or who has had sexual contact with an
individual infected with an STD as defined in 173 NAC 1-004.05. In the case of
HIV disease, in accordance with the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization
Act, "spouse" is defined as any individual who is the marriage partner of that
person at any time within the ten-year period prior to the diagnosis of HIV
disease.
007.03 Responsibilities of Laboratories: All
laboratories performing clinical testing on Nebraska residents
1. Must forward to the Nebraska Public Health
Laboratory isolates of special public health interest indicated in 173 NAC
1-004.01A and 1-004.02; contact a state or local public health
department before shipping any isolates or specimens suspected of containing:
Yersinia, Francisella,
Brucella, Bordetella,
Coxiella, or Bacillus species. Contact the
receiving laboratory prior to shipping the isolate or
specimen.
2. Which
diagnose reportable diseases with non-culture diagnostic methods
(e.g. E.coli gastroenteritis with a shiga toxin
assay ) and which do not isolate the
actual organism must, if ordered by the
department (pursuant to NEB.REV.STAT §
71-502
or 173 NAC), forward the clinical sample
testing positive to the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory; and
3. Must forward if
ordered by the department (pursuant to NEB.REV.STAT
§
71-502
or 173 NAC) isolates or specimens to the Nebraska Public Health
Laboratory or the CDC laboratories.
007.04 Responsibilities of Schools
School nurses or those acting in the capacity of a school
nurse must, in accordance with state and federal statutes:
1. Notify the local public health department
or the DHHS Division of Public Health of cases or suspected cases of reportable
diseases as indicated in 173 NAC
1-004.01 and 1-004.02, or outbreaks
and suspected outbreaks of diseases as indicated in 173 NAC
1-004.01B
affecting students and/or other school-affiliated personnel and which present a
reasonable threat to the safety or health of a student and/or other
school-affiliated personnel; and
2.
Cooperate with public health authorities in obtaining information needed to
facilitate the investigation of cases and suspected cases, or outbreaks and
suspected outbreaks of diseases affecting students and/or other
school-affiliated personnel.
All information disclosed to a public health authority is
confidential and not to be released to outside parties as stipulated by
Neb. Rev. Stat.
§
71-503.01.
007.05 Significant
Exposure of Emergency Medical Services personnel and Healthcare Workers to
Infectious Diseases or Conditions
Neb. Rev. Stat.
§§
71-507
to
71-513
address the risk of significant exposure of emergency services providers to
infectious diseases or conditions, and Neb. Rev. Stat.
§§
71-514.01
to
71-514.05
address the risk of significant exposure of healthcare providers to infectious
diseases or conditions.
1-007.05A For
the purpose of implementing these statutes, infectious disease or condition
means:
1. Hepatitis B;
2. Hepatitis C;
3. Meningococcal meningitis;
4. Active pulmonary tuberculosis;
5. Human immunodeficiency virus
infection;
6. Diphtheria;
7. Plague;
8. Hemorrhagic fevers;
9. Rabies;
10.
Severe acute respiratory
syndrome;
11.
Middle East respiratory syndrome.
1-007.05B
Significant
Exposure Report Form for Emergency Services Providers: For the
purpose of implementing Neb. Rev. Stat.
§
71-508,
the form to be used by the emergency services provider to document information
necessary for notification of significant exposure to an infectious disease or
condition is Attachment E, incorporated in these
regulations by this reference. Emergency services providers are responsible for
reproduction of the form for use in the notification procedure.
