October 2022

Coming soon: New interactive data tool for NNDSS annual data on CDC WONDER

As part of CDC’s efforts to modernize public health data systems, CDC’s Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) and the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) are excited to announce the upcoming release of a new interactive tool for users of NNDSS annual data. A key data source for public health, the NNDSS annual tables provide information on cases of selected infectious national notifiable diseases and conditions sent to CDC by U.S. states and territories.

The new interactive tool will:

• Allow users of NNDSS annual data to create data visualizations customized to their needs.
• Offer more flexibility to focus their analyses and understand trends and patterns, such as comparing NNDSS data across years, specific populations, diseases and conditions, and geographic areas.
• Enhance user experience compared to the current, fixed format annual data tables.
• Make NNDSS data more transparent.

With the release of these new interactive features, CDC is not adding any new data elements to NNDSS or the ability to stratify existing NNDSS data elements in ways not previously available. CDC expects to release the new interactive tool in late 2022 and will notify everyone when it is available.

If you have questions about these upcoming features, contact cwus@cdc.gov.

CDC to require the 2020 RVCT for 2023 tuberculosis case data

Beginning in 2023, jurisdictions will need to use the 2020 Report of Verified Case of Tuberculosis (RVCT) when sending their TB data to CDC.

All TB cases counted in 2023 must be submitted using the 2020 RVCT.

Jurisdictions’ 2022 TB cases do not need to use the 2020 RVCT, even if the cases are transmitted to CDC in 2023. For example, a jurisdiction sending 2022 TB cases in January 2023 will still be able to use the previous RVCT for those cases.

Key changes in the 2020 RVCT:

• New items include new anti-TB drugs, new drug-susceptibility testing methods, census tract, date of symptom onset, and additional risk factors, including smoking, ever experiencing homelessness, or residing in a correctional facility.
• Repeating group blocks allow flexibility in the number of responses for certain variables, including laboratory and imaging results, TB medications, epidemiologic linkages, and additional TB risk factors.

Questions that have been removed include:

• type of laboratory or outpatient health provider
• initial visa type
• whether the person was under custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Jurisdictions that would like an alternative to using the 2020 RVCT can submit their TB case data to CDC using direct data entry into the National TB Surveillance System – Case Reports (NTSS-CR). If you have questions about this option, please contact the CDC Division of Tuberculosis Elimination Support Helpdesk at DTBESupport@cdc.gov.

If you have any questions about the 2020 RVCT, please contact DTBESupport@cdc.gov.

An eSHARE special session, “What you need to know about NNDSS and the Mpox Response,” will be held October 25, 2022, 3:00-4:00 PM ET.

The regular October eSHARE—which will provide updates on COVID-19 surveillance cadence, information about new features for the annual NNDSS data tables on CDC WONDER, and CDC enhancements to case surveillance—was held October 18, 2022, 3:00—4:30 PM ET.

To join an eSHARE webinar, please see your calendar invitation or contact the CDC Electronic Data Exchange mailbox at edx@cdc.gov for login information with the subject line “eSHARE invitation.”