Reporting Staphylococcus aureus Infection

On this page:
What to report
How to report
Submitting clinical materials 
Who is required to report
More about infectious disease reporting

What to report

• Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) must be reported to MDH within one working day.
   
• Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) must be reported to MDH within one working day.
   
• Death and critical illness due to community-associated Staphylococcus aureus* in a previously healthy individual must be reported to MDH within one working day.
  • *Patient must have had: a positive culture for S. aureus from any body site obtained < 48 hours of admission to a hospital (if admitted); no indwelling percutaneous devices or catheters; and no history of hospitalization, surgery, long-term care facility residence, or dialysis within the prior year.

How to report Staphylococcus aureus

• Vancomycin Intermediate and Vancomycin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Case Report Form
  This is the reporting form for Vancomycin Intermediate and Vancomycin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VISA/VRSA). Before filling out the VISA/VRSA Case Report Form, please call MDH at 651-201-5414.
   
• Rapidly Fatal or Serious Community-associated Staphylococcus aureus Infection Case Report Form 
  This is the reporting form for rapidly fatal or serious community-associated Staphylococcus aureus (serious staph) infection.
   
• Invasive Staphylococcus aureus Active Bacterial Core Surveillance (ABCs) Case Report Form
  ABCs invasive S. aureus case report form.
   
• Phone
  Any reportable infectious disease may be reported by phone to 651-201-5414 or 877-676-5414.

Other reporting: Invasive S. aureus surveillance

• Invasive Staphylococcus aureus Surveillance
  Surveillance for invasive S. aureus in Ramsey and Hennepin County residents.

Submitting clinical materials

For Staphylococcus aureus, submission of clinical materials (isolate, if available) to MDH is required by rule.

• Clinical Materials
  Clinical materials must be submitted according to these guidelines.

Who is required to report

• Health care practitioners (health care facilities, medical laboratories, and in certain circumstances veterinarians and veterinary medical laboratories) are required to report disease to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) under Minnesota state law.
  • Unless previously reported, every licensed health care provider who provides care to any patient who has, is suspected of having, or has died from a reportable disease is required to report.
• Any person in charge of any institution, school, child care facility, or camp is also required to report disease to MDH.
   
• Persons Required to Report Disease
  More information about who is required to report disease.

More about infectious disease reporting

• Infectious Disease Reporting
  Find out which infectious diseases must be reported by law in Minnesota, who is required to report diseases, how each disease can be reported, and download the appropriate forms.