Reporting Mpox/Orthopoxvirus Cases & Testing
Healthcare providers and laboratories are required to notify KDHE regarding patients with suspected or confirmed reportable disease. The list of reportable disease is defined by Kansas statute and regulation (K.S.A. 65-118, 65-128 and 65-6001 through 65-6007; and by K.A.R. 28-1-2 and 28-1-18). Refer to the below sections to determine how to report mpox/orthopoxvirus cases and laboratory testing to KDHE.
Suspected or Confirmed Mpox Case Reporting Requirements
K.A.R. 28-1-2 requires any unusual disease or manifestation of illness such as mpox/orthopoxvirus to be reported to KDHE within four hours of knowledge of the suspected case; this includes reporting prior to receipt of laboratory results. Mandated reporters such as clinicians, nurses, and hospital administrators should report suspected mpox cases to the 24/7 KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317, option 5. Notification to KDHE ensures that appropriate medical countermeasures (e.g., vaccines, antivirals) are initiated promptly, when indicated. Mandated reporters shall report the following information to KDHE.
- First and last names and middle initial
- Address (including city, state, and ZIP code)
- Telephone number (including area code)
- Date of birth
- Sex
- Race
- Ethnicity (specify if Hispanic or non-Hispanic ethnicity)
- Pregnancy status
- Date of onset of symptoms and diagnosis
- Type of diagnostic tests
- Type of specimen
- Date of specimen collection
- Site of specimen collection
- Diagnostic test results (including reference range and all available results concerning additional characterization of the organism)
- Treatment given
- Name, address, and telephone number of the clinician
- Any other necessary epidemiological information and additional specimen collection or laboratory test results requested by KDHE. Epidemiological information requested from providers is found on page 3 of the Mpox Information for Providers document.
Laboratory Mpox Testing Reporting Requirements
Any laboratory that sends out specimens to a reference lab or performs a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) or antibody test for mpox/orthopoxvirus shall report all test results to KDHE preferably using an automated, secure electronic laboratory-reporting system (i.e. ELR) or by other means acceptable to KDHE as required by K.A.R. 28-1-18. Laboratories should make every reasonable effort to provide the following data elements when reporting to KDHE. Laboratories should email the KDHE Surveillance Section to establish electronic reporting.
- Test order – use appropriate Logical Observation Identifiers, Names and Codes (LOINC) terms. See additional details.
- Test order date
- Test result
- Performed test – use appropriate LOINC terms
- Test result value
- For quantitative results include units of measure, if applicable – coded in Unified Codes for Units of Measure (UCUM)
- For qualitative results us appropriate Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine -Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) code. See additional details.
- Test result date
- Patient Information
- Patient ID (unique identifier assigned to an individual)
- First and last names including middle initial
- Patient street address including ZIP code
- Patient phone number including area code
- Patient date of birth
- Patient age
- Patient race
- Patient ethnicity
- Patient sex/gender
- Ordering Provider Information
- Provider name
- Provider ZIP code
- Provider address
- Provider phone number
- Performing facility name and CLIA number
- Performing facility ZIP code
- Accession number / specimen ID (unique identifier assigned to the specimen)
- Specimen source
- Specimen type – use appropriate SNOMED-CT codes from the specimen hierarchy See additional details or HL70487 codes.
- Source site – When the specimen type is a crust or a swab, it may be necessary to indicate where on the body this was taken from – use appropriate SNOMED-CT codes from the anatomic body site hierarchy (see examples); in addition, more detailed topography like laterality may be needed. This can be included in the code for the source site or sent in as an additional element – properly coded using SNOMED-CT codes from the qualifier hierarchy.
Where Can I Find Additional Mpox Information
Kansas mpox patient and provider resources are available on the KDHE mpox webpage.