Reporting obligation

Reporting obligation in accordance with the German Infection Protection Act (Infektionsschutzgesetz)

Precautions against, early diagnosis and prevention of the further spread of transmissible diseases

The Act to Prevent and Combat Infectious Diseases in Humans – Infection Protection Act (Gesetz zur Verhütung und Bekämpfung von Infektionskrankheiten beim Menschen – Infektionsschutzgesetz – IfSG) is intended, as per its section 1, to “enact precautions against transmissible human diseases, recognise infections early and prevent them from spreading”.


We have compiled a list of important sub-aspects for you here. This does not however replace the underlying wording of the Act, which has been made available in the appropriate publications (in particular in the Federal Law Gazette [Bundesgesetzblatt], and in the Federal Gazette [Bundesanzeiger]).
 

 

Particular significance attaches to the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin in terms of the implementation of the Act. The Institute also has more information available on the Infection Protection Act (click here). Here you will also find up-to-date information on the case definitions, and these can be expanded by the health authorities of the Länder enacting a Länder Ordinance.

Most recently amended by Article 1 of the “Act Modernising the Epidemiological Monitoring of Transmissible Diseases” (Gesetz zur Modernisierung der epidemiologischen Überwachung übertragbarer Krankheiten) of 17 July 2017


Obligation to report specific diseases by name (section 6 of the Infection Protection Act)

Reportable within 24 hours of gaining knowledge (see also sections 8-11 of the Infection Protection Act)


Obligation to report by name on suspicion of contraction of, of falling ill from, and of death from:

  • a) botulism
  • b) cholera
  • c) diphtheria
  • d) human spongiform encepaphalopathy, excepting familial hereditary form
  • e) acute viral hepatitis
  • f) enteropathic haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS)
  • g) viral haemorrhagic fever
  • h) pertussis
  • i) measles
  • j) meningococcal meningitis or sepsis
  • k) anthrax
  • l) mumpsm) plague
  • n) poliomyelitis
  • o) rubella, including congenital rubella syndrome
  • p) rabies
  • q) typhoid/paratyphoid
  • r) chickenpox

Obligation to report by name in cases of falling ill from, and of death from:

  • tuberculosis requiring treatment, even in the absence of a positive bacteriological test

Obligation to report by name on suspicion of contraction of and of falling ill from:

  • microbial food poisoning or acute infectious gastroenteritis in case of handling of food (section 42 of the Infection Protection Act), or if two or more diseases of the same kind occur with an epidemic connection

Obligation to report by name in case of:

  • 2) suspicion of and falling ill from microbial food poisoning or acute infectious gastroenteritis if

a) an individual is affected who works asb) two or more diseases of the same kind occur where an epidemic connection is probable or presumed,

  • 3) suspicion of harm to health exceeding the usual scope of a reaction to a vaccination,
  • 4) injury caused to an individual by an animal with rabies, suspected of having rabies, or suspected of being contagious, as well as by touching such an animal or its carcass,
  • 5) the occurrence of a threatening transmissible disease which is not already reportable in accordance with Nos. 1 to 4.

Obligation to report by name as an outbreak in case of:

  • the occurrence of two or more nosocomial infections where an epidemic connection is probable or presumed.