Infectious Diseases (Communicable Diseases)
This site provides basic information for a selected number of communicable diseases in order to answer commonly asked questions. Most of this information relates to some of the more common notifiable diseases for which surveillance is conducted on within Tasmania. Notifiable Diseases are diseases which have significance in a public health context and are required by law to be reported to the state Director of Public Health.
For a full list of notifiable diseases please refer to the Guidelines for Notifiable Diseases.
If you have any queries about Communicable Disease issues please contact the Public and Environmental Health Service on 1800 671 738.
What is a communicable disease?
A communicable disease (synonym: infectious disease) is an illness due to a specific infectious agent or it's toxic products that arises through transmission of that agent or it's products from an infected person, animal or inaminate reservoir (eg. from a food source or contaminated water) to a susceptible host.