Disease Surveillance and Control

The Douglas County Health Department Epidemiology and Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Sections are responsible for the surveillance and control of communicable diseases in Douglas County. The purpose of surveillance is to detect, promptly investigate and monitor the occurrence and distribution of disease in Douglas County. Timely recognition of disease within the community, coupled with rapid investigation, enables the prompt implementation of prevention and control activities. These activities can contain the spread of disease within the population, reducing the risk of disease transmission before the illness becomes a major public health crisis. Effective surveillance systems also play a role in identifying emerging infectious diseases, acts of bioterrorism, and potential influenza pandemics, as well as providing a basis for evaluating the outcome of public health prevention programs.

The Douglas County Health Department documents and investigates the communicable diseases and conditions designated in Nebraska regulations for Reporting and Control of Communicable Diseases "Title 173 NAC1"

• Douglas County Disease surveillance report
• Reporting communicable diseases
• Rules and regulations regarding the reporting of communicable diseases in Nebraska