MCHD’s Infectious Diseases and Outbreaks team works to protect community 09.19.25

September 19, 2025

MCHD’s Infectious Diseases and Outbreaks team works to protect community

MOBILE, Ala. — The Mobile County Health Department’s Infectious Diseases and Outbreaks (IDO) team conducts surveillance and investigations in accordance with Alabama state laws. Their mission is to protect residents and to prevent illness by monitoring and investigating infectious (e.g., Salmonella, influenza, hepatitis), zoonotic (e.g., rabies, spotted fever rickettsiosis, West Nile fever), and environmental (e.g., Legionnaire’s disease, chemical, toxin) diseases, conditions, natural or man-made exposures, and outbreaks.

Pursuant to the Alabama Notifiable Disease Act, each physician, dentist, nurse, medical examiner, hospital administrator, nursing home administrator, laboratory director, school principal, and daycare center director is required to report cases or suspected cases of notifiable diseases and health conditions.

MCHD has a duty under the law to investigate these reports. During investigations, the IDO team interviews the individual, and they might ask for a couple of details to make sure they are really speaking with the right person before sharing information. If the individual is doubtful about the authenticity of the caller, ask for their name, department, and call back number, then hang up and call the official health department phone number found on our website to confirm the call is real. The IDO team not only investigates the information but also provides individual education and prevention measures. The provisional disease reports are updated each week and can be found at https://mchd.org/news/reportable-diseases.

To enhance the public health response, MCHD investigators also partner with hospitals, childcare centers, schools, nursing homes, and other congregate settings to educate healthcare providers and laboratories on state-mandated disease reporting requirements.

In 2024, the IDO Team made significant progress in disease investigation, surveillance, and public health response, achieving the following:

• Investigated, reported, or monitored 410 disease cases, with nearly 50 percent involving gastrointestinal illnesses such as Salmonella and Campylobacter.
• Conducted 11 outbreak investigations related to gastrointestinal, dermatologic, and respiratory diseases.
• Responded to more than 3,500 community and public health inquiries via phone, fax, and email.
• Completed eight outreach initiatives and participated in 10 local and state trainings to strengthen disease prevention efforts.