Section 145.03. Definitions.

  In this chapter:

(1)  "Advanced practice nurse prescriber" means an advanced practice nurse, as defined in s. N 8.02 (1) , who under s. 441.16 (2) , Stats., has been granted a certificate to issue prescription orders.

(2)  "Case" means a person determined to have a particular communicable disease on the basis of clinical or laboratory criteria or both.

(3)  "Chief medical officer" means the person appointed by the state health officer under s. 250.02 (2) , Stats., to provide public health consultation and leadership in the program area of acute and communicable disease and who serves also as state epidemiologist for that program area.

(4)  "Communicable disease" means a disease or condition listed in Appendix A of this chapter.

(5)  "Control" means to take actions designed to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

(6)  "Conveyance" means any publicly or privately owned vehicle used for providing transportation services.

(7)  "Date of onset" means the day on which the case or suspected case experienced the first sign or symptom of the communicable disease.

(8)  "Day care center" has the meaning prescribed in s. 48.65 , Stats., and includes nursery schools that fit that definition.

(9)  "Department" means the department of health services.

(10)  "Food handler" means a person who handles food utensils or who prepares, processes or serves food or beverages for people other than members of his or her immediate household.

(11)  "Health care facility" has the meaning prescribed in s. 155.01 (6) , Stats., and includes providers of ambulatory health care.

(12)  "HIV" means human immunodeficiency virus.

(13)  "Individual case report form" means the form provided by the department for the purpose of reporting communicable diseases.

(14)  "Investigation" means a systematic inquiry designed to identify factors which contribute to the occurrence and spread of communicable diseases.

(15)  "Laboratory" means any facility certified under 42 USC 263a .

(16)  "Local health department" means an agency of local government that takes any of the forms specified in s. 250.01 (4) , Stats.

(17)  "Local health officer" has the meaning prescribed in s. 250.01 (5) , Stats., and applies to the person who is designated as the local health officer for the place of residence of a case or suspected case of communicable disease.

(18)  "Organized program of infection control" means written and implemented policies and procedures for the purpose of surveillance, investigation, control and prevention of infections in a health care facility.

(19)  "Other disease or condition having the potential to affect the health of other persons" means a disease that can be transmitted from one person to another but that is not listed in Appendix A of this chapter and therefore is not reportable under this chapter, although it is listed in Control of Communicable Diseases Manual , 18th edition (2004), edited David L Heymann, and published by the American Public Health Association, unless specified otherwise by the state epidemiologist.

(20)  "Outbreak" means an unusual aggregation of health events that are grouped together in a short time period and limited geographic area.

(21)  "Personal care" means the service provided by one person to another person who is not a member of his or her immediate household for the purpose of feeding, bathing, dressing, assisting with personal hygiene, changing diapers, changing bedding and other services involving direct physical contact.

(22)  "Physician" means an individual possessing the degree of doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy or an equivalent degree as determined by the medical examining board, and holding a license granted by the board under s. 448.01 (5) , Stats.

(23)  "Public building" means any privately or publicly owned building which is open to the public.

(24)  "Public health intervention" means an action designed to promote and protect the health of the public.

(25)  "State epidemiologist" means the person appointed by the state health officer under s. 250.02 (1) , Stats., to be the person in charge of communicable disease control for the state who serves also as chief medical officer for the acute and communicable disease program area.

(26)  "Surveillance" means the systematic collection of data pertaining to the occurrence of specific diseases, the analysis and interpretation of these data and the dissemination of consolidated and processed information to those who need to know.

(27)  "Suspected case" means a person thought to have a particular communicable disease on the basis of clinical or laboratory criteria or both.

History: Cr. Register, April, 1984, No. 340 , eff. 5-1-84; am. (2) and (11), Register, February, 1989, No. 398 , eff. 3-1-89; correction in (8) and (9) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, August, 1995, No. 476 ; r. and recr. Register, March, 2000, No. 531 , eff. 4-1-00; CR 07-090 : am. (19) and (20) Register February 2008 No. 626 , eff. 3-1-08; correction in (9) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats., Register January 2009 No. 637 .

Note

The handbook, Control of Communicable Diseases Manual , 18th edition (2004), edited by David L. Heymann, is on file in the Department's Division of Public Health and the Legislative Reference Bureau, and is available for purchase from the American Public Health Association, Publications Sales, PO Box 933019, Atlanta, GA 31193-3019. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1