1. (a) The following shall provide information on cases of chancroid, Chlamydia trachomatis infection, gonorrhea, or syphilis.

   1. (1) A physician or dentist shall report each patient that is diagnosed or treated for chancroid, Chlamydia trachomatis infection, gonorrhea, or syphilis. A physician or dentist may designate an employee of the clinic or physician's/dentist's office to serve as the reporting officer. A physician or dentist who can assure that a designated or appointed person is regularly reporting every occurrence of these diseases in their clinic or office does not have to submit a duplicate report.
   2. (2) The chief administrative officer of a hospital, a medical facility, or a penal institution shall report each patient who is medically attended at the facility and is diagnosed with chancroid, Chlamydia trachomatis infection, gonorrhea, or syphilis. The chief administrative officer may designate an employee of their institution to serve as the reporting officer. A chief administrative officer who can assure that a designated or appointed person is regularly reporting every occurrence of these diseases in their institution does not have to submit a duplicate report. Hospital laboratories may report through the reporting officer or independently in accordance with the hospital's policies and procedures.
   3. (3) Any person in charge of a clinical laboratory, blood bank, mobile unit, or other facility in which a laboratory examination of a blood specimen or any specimen derived from a human body that yields microscopic, cultural, serological or any other evidence of chancroid, Chlamydia trachomatis infection, gonorrhea, or syphilis shall report according to §97.133 of this title (relating to Reporting Information for Sexually Transmitted Diseases).
   4. (4) School authorities as described in §97.2(e) of this title (relating to Who Shall Report) who are not medical directors meeting the criteria described in this section are exempt from reporting chancroid, Chlamydia trachomatis infection, gonorrhea, or syphilis.

2. (b) The following shall report cases of HIV infection and AIDS cases.

   1. (1) A physician or dentist shall report each patient that is diagnosed or treated for HIV infection or AIDS. A physician or dentist may designate an employee of the clinic or physician's/dentist's office to serve as the reporting officer. A physician or dentist who can assure that a designated or appointed person from the clinic or office is regularly reporting every occurrence of these diseases in their clinic or office does not have to submit a duplicate report.
   2. (2) The chief administrative officer of a hospital, a medical facility, or a penal institution shall report each patient who is medically attended at the facility and is diagnosed with HIV infection or AIDS. The chief administrative officer may designate an employee of their institution to serve as the reporting officer. A chief administrative officer who can assure that a designated or appointed person from their institution is regularly reporting every occurrence of these diseases in their institution does not have to submit a duplicate report. Hospital laboratories may report through the reporting officer or independently in accordance with the hospital's policies and procedures.
   3. (3) Any person in charge of a clinical laboratory, blood bank, mobile unit, or other facility in which a laboratory examination of a blood specimen or any specimen derived from a human body that yields microscopic, cultural, serological, or any other evidence of HIV infection or AIDS shall report according to §97.133 of this title.
   4. (4) The medical director or other physician responsible for the medical oversight of an HIV counseling and testing site or a community-based organization shall report each patient that is diagnosed with HIV infection or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The medical director or other physician may designate an employee of the counseling and testing site or community-based organization to serve as the reporting officer. A medical director or other physician who can assure that a designated or appointed person from their HIV counseling and testing site or community-based organization is regularly reporting according to §97.133 of this title every occurrence of these diseases in the organization or counseling and testing site does not have to submit a duplicate report.
   5. (5) School authorities as described in §97.2(e) of this title who are not medical directors meeting the criteria described in this section are exempt from reporting HIV infection, AIDS.
   6. (6) Failure to report a reportable disease is a Class B misdemeanor under the Texas Health and Safety Code, §81.049.

Source Note:The provisions of this §97.132 adopted to be effective March 16, 1994, 19 TexReg 1453.