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Infectious Diseases (Communicable Diseases)

  • 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.

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.

Administrative Phone Number

Phone: 1800 671 738.

More Information

For more information on Communicable Diseases access the following fact sheets, links to other communicable disease sites are also provided:

Blood Borne Viruses

  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • HIV/AIDS

Food & Water Borne Illnesses

  • Campylobacter
  • Cryptosporidiosis
  • Giardia
  • Hepatitis A
  • Listeria
  • Salmonella
  • Public Health & Gastro
  • Shigella

Visit the Food Safety Information

Sexually Transmissable Infections (STIs)

  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhoea
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Syphilis

Visit the Sexual Health information

Infection Control

  • General Hygiene
  • Handling Blood &

Miscellaneous

  • Anthrax
  • Legionnaires Disease (Pneumophila)
  • Legionnaires Disease (Longbeachae)
  • Meningococcal Infection
  • Ross River Virus
  • Slapped Cheek Syndrome (Parvovirus)
  • Psittacosis (Parrot Fever)
  • Hand Foot & Mouth Disease
  • SARS
  • Avian Influenza
  • Norovirus

Vaccine Preventable Diseases

  • Diphtheria
  • Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (HIB)
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Influenza
  • Measles
  • Mumps
  • Pneumococcal Disease
  • Rubella
  • Tetanus
  • Whooping Cough

Visit the Immunisation site for the vaccine schedules for adults and children.

Related Links

Guidelines for Notifiable Diseases
About the Public Health Act 1997 - Legislation and Guidelines