Changes to the List of Reportable Diseases, Emergency Illnesses and Health Conditions, and the List of Reportable Laboratory Findings

Beginning in May 2022, an unprecedented rapid increase in monkeypox cases has occurred in countries where the virus is not endemic and occurring in people without traditional risk factors for monkeypox virus infection. Effective July 1, 2022, pursuant to Section 19a-2a of the Connecticut General Statutes and Sections 19a-215 and 19a-36-A7 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, Manisha Juthani, MD, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) amended the List of Reportable Diseases, Emergency Illnesses and Health Conditions and the List of Reportable Laboratory Findings by adding monkeypox disease and orthopoxvirus and non-variola orthopoxvirus laboratory findings to such lists. This action was taken to leverage surveillance data collection to describe the extent of the problem and use case reporting to facilitate control and response actions to reduce the spread of monkeypox.

Monkeypox disease shall be a Category 1 disease and reportable immediately by phone to DPH and the local department of health in the case patient’s town of residence on the day of recognition or strong suspicion of the disease. To report, call DPH at (860) 509-7994 on weekdays or (860) 509-8000 after hours. The DPH Reportable Disease Confidential Case Report Form PD-23 shall be used to collect initial information on suspect and confirmed cases. DPH will share the report with the local health department for the town where the case patient resides and will follow up with the provider and patient as needed to collect additional information.

Currently, laboratory testing for orthopoxvirus is available through public health laboratories that are part of the Laboratory Response Network (LRN).

When testing is expanded beyond the LRN, laboratories will be required to report the following laboratory findings:

• Detection of monkeypox virus (MPXV) or orthopoxvirus nucleic acid by molecular testing in a clinical specimen
• Detection of presence of orthopoxvirus by immunohistochemistry in tissue
• Detection of MPXV or orthopoxvirus by genomic sequencing in a clinical specimen
• Detection of anti-orthopoxvirus IgM antibody using a validated assay on a serum sample drawn 4-56 days after rash onset with no recent history (last 60 days)  of smallpox or monkeypox vaccination

Laboratory findings should be reported immediately by phone to DPH at (860) 509-7994, followed by a fax to (860) 920-3131. DPH will provide updated instructions for electronic reporting of laboratory results once CDC guidance for such reporting is published. For information on how to report laboratory results in electronic format please email DPH.InformaticsLab@ct.gov.

Healthcare providers can refer questions about reporting monkeypox to the DPH Epidemiology and Emerging Infections Program at (860) 509-7994 or (860) 509-8000 after hours. Additional information on the 2022 U.S. monkeypox outbreak can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       This page last updated 9/9/2022.