[Notification according to the law for protection against infections]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Microbiology

Background:

• The German Law for Protection Against Infections (2001) mandates dual reporting: infectious diseases and their causative pathogens.
• Scientific advancements lead to frequent changes in pathogen nomenclature.
• Current reporting systems face challenges with pathogen identification and classification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the complexities and limitations of the current German infectious disease and pathogen reporting system.
• To identify specific pathogens and diseases that present reporting difficulties.
• To evaluate the implications of abandoning notification for certain diseases.

Main Methods:

• Review of the German Law for Protection Against Infections (2001) and related amendments.
• Analysis of pathogen nomenclature changes and their impact on reporting accuracy.
• Case study examination of problematic pathogen reporting (e.g., Giardia lamblia, Brucella sp., Mycobacterium tuberculosis).
• Assessment of the rationale behind the removal of certain diseases from mandatory notification.

Main Results:

• Pathogen name changes create ambiguity, potentially including non-pathogenic organisms (e.g., Giardia lamblia).
• Specific bacterial (Brucella sp., Campylobacter sp., Listeria monocytogenes, Mycobacterium tuberculosis), viral (Norwalk-like viruses), and parasitic (Trichinella spiralis) pathogens present significant reporting challenges.
• The discontinuation of mandatory reporting for glanders, lymphogranuloma venereum, ulcus molle, and variola is deemed potentially risky due to insufficient justification.

Conclusions:

• The current pathogen reporting system requires revision to accommodate scientific progress and improve accuracy.
• Standardization of pathogen identification and reporting criteria is crucial for effective disease surveillance.
• Revisiting the decision to de-list certain infectious diseases is recommended to maintain comprehensive public health protection.