A nurse from the State Health Department is instructing a group of nurses regarding reportable infections. Which of the following infections should the nurse report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?

A. Herpes simplex virus 2: HSV-2 is a common sexually transmitted infection, but it is not universally reportable to the CDC in all states. While some jurisdictions may require reporting, it is not consistently a nationally notifiable infection. B. Candida albicans: Candida infections are common opportunistic infections and are not considered reportable to the CDC because they occur frequently and do not typically pose a public health threat. Routine cases are managed at the clinical level. C. Staphylococcus aureus: Although S. aureus infections, including MRSA, are clinically significant, they are generally not reportable to the CDC unless part of a specific outbreak or public health investigation. Routine cases are not mandatory to report. D. Lyme disease: Lyme disease is a nationally notifiable infection that must be reported to the CDC. Reporting is essential for surveillance, tracking trends, and implementing public health interventions to reduce disease transmission and prevent outbreaks.