State Health Department Requirements for Reporting of Antibiotic-Resistant Infections by Providers, United States, 2013 and 2015

Abstract

Due to the high burden of antibiotic-resistant infections, several US states mandate public reporting of these infections. To examine the extent to which state departments of health require reporting of antibiotic-resistant infections, we abstracted data from lists of reportable conditions from all 50 states at 2 time points, May 2013 and May 2015. Requirements varied substantially by state. In 2015, most states (n = 44) required reporting of at least 1 antibiotic-resistant infection; vancomycin-intermediate and/or vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently reportable infection (n = 40). Few states required reporting of methicillin-resistant S aureus (n = 11), multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (n = 9), or vancomycin-resistant enterococci (n = 8). During the 2 years we studied, 2013 and 2015, 4 states removed and 9 added at least 1 reporting requirement. The changes in reporting requirements suggest flexibility in health departments’ response to local surveillance needs and emerging threats. Future studies should assess how data on antibiotic-resistant infections through different sources are used at the state level to drive prevention and control efforts.