Australia's notifiable diseases status, 2010: Annual report of the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System - Results: Summary, and Table 3 to 8

The Australia’s notifiable diseases status, 2010 report provides data and an analysis of communicable disease incidence in Australia during 2010. The full report is available in 16 HTML documents. The full report is also available in PDF format from the Table of contents page.

Page last updated: 03 April 2014

This extract of the NNDSS annual report 2010 was published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence Vol 36 No 1 March 2012. A print friendly full version may be downloaded as a PDF 1862 KB.

The full issue of CDI is available as a PDF file (2586 KB) or by individual articles from this issue's table of contents

Results

Published erratum: Commun Dis Intell 2013;37(2):E193, E195

The numbers for Zoonoses in Table 6: Notifications and notification rate for communicable diseases, Australia, 2005 to 2010, were incorrect. The correct figures have been updated on this page


There were 209,079 communicable disease notifications received by NNDSS in 2010 (Table 3).

Table 3: Notifications to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, Australia, 2010, by disease category rank order
Disease category Number %
Sexually transmitted infections
86,620
41.4
Vaccine preventable diseases
61,964
29.6
Gastrointestinal diseases
31,548
15.1
Bloodborne diseases
18,302
8.8
Vectorborne diseases
8,244
3.9
Other bacterial diseases
1,866
0.9
Zoonoses
532
0.3
Quarantinable diseases
3
0.0
Total
209,079
100.0

In 2010, the most frequently notified diseases were sexually transmissible infections (n = 86,620, 41.4%), vaccine preventable diseases (n = 61,964, 29.6%), and gastrointestinal diseases (n = 31,548, 15.1%) (Table 3).

There were 18,302 notified cases of bloodborne diseases; 8,244 notified cases of vectorborne diseases; 1,866 notified cases of other bacterial infections; 532 notified cases of zoonoses and 3 notified cases of quarantinable diseases. There was a decrease of 12% compared with the total number of notifications in 2009 (Figure 2). This decrease was largely due to the number of cases of influenza A(H1N1) pandemic 2009 in 2009.

Figure 2: Trends in notifications received by the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, Australia, 1991 to 2010, by year

Trends in notifications received by the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, Australia, 1991 to 2010, by year

Text version of Figure 2 (TXT 1 KB)

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Notifications and notification rates per 100,000 population for each disease by state or territory, in 2010, are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively. Trends in notifications and rates per 100,000 population for the period 2005 to 2010 are shown in Table 6.

Table 4: Notifications of communicable diseases, Australia, 2010, by state or territory
Disease
State or territory Aust
  ACT NSW NT Qld SA Tas Vic WA  

* Newly acquired hepatitis and syphilis includes cases where the infection was determined to be acquired within 24 months prior to diagnosis.

† Unspecified hepatitis and syphilis includes cases where the duration of infection could not be determined or is greater than 24 months.

‡ In Queensland, includes incident hepatitis C cases.

§ Notified as ‘foodborne disease’ or ‘gastroenteritis in an institution’ in New South Wales.

|| Infection with Shiga toxin/verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC/VTEC).

¶ Includes Chlamydia trachomatis identified from cervical, rectal, urine, urethral, throat and eye samples, except for South Australia, which reports only genital tract specimens; the Northern Territory and Western Australia exclude ocular infections.

** The national case definitions for chlamydial, gonococcal and syphilis diagnoses include infections that may be acquired through a non-sexual mode (especially in children – e.g. perinatal infections, epidemic gonococcal conjunctivitis).

†† Does not include congenital syphilis.

¶¶ In the Australian Capital Territory, Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection and Kunjin virus infection are combined under Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection.

*** Only invasive meningococcal disease is nationally notifiable. However, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia also report conjunctival cases.

NEC Not elsewhere classified.

NN Not notifiable.

NDP No data provided.

Bloodborne diseases
Hepatitis (NEC)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Hepatitis B (newly acquired)*
3
34
3
59
21
6
69
33
228
Hepatitis B (unspecified)
93
2,432
157
1,070
409
51
1,891
775
6,878
Hepatitis C (newly acquired)*
12
36
0
NN
46
22
162
80
358
Hepatitis C (unspecified)†,‡
211
3,517
172
2,742
485
241
2,441
994
10,803
Hepatitis D
0
9
0
20
0
0
6
0
35
Gastrointestinal diseases
Botulism
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Campylobacteriosis§
552
NN
165
4,788
1,768
726
6,644
2,323
16,966
Cryptosporidiosis
12
349
97
302
47
100
431
142
1,480
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
0
3
0
2
0
0
3
0
8
Hepatitis A
5
83
3
41
4
4
91
32
263
Hepatitis E
2
15
0
7
0
0
11
3
38
Listeriosis
2
26
0
9
1
3
27
3
71
Salmonellosis
212
3,822
559
2,940
665
235
2,283
1,277
11,993
Shigellosis
7
117
75
93
54
5
87
114
552
STEC,VTEC||
0
10
0
18
33
0
12
8
81
Typhoid fever
2
31
2
20
5
1
24
11
96
Quarantinable diseases
Cholera
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
HPAIH
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Plague
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Rabies
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Smallpox
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Viral haemorrhagic fever
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Yellow fever
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Sexually transmitted infections
Chlamydial infection¶,**
1,157
18,278
2,662
19,216
4,330
2,008
16,474
10,180
74,305
Donovanosis
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Gonococcal infection**
56
2,322
1,932
2,028
468
21
1,748
1,396
9,971
Syphilis – all**,††
29
746
141
404
45
21
823
155
2,364
Syphilis < 2 years duration**
14
416
43
221
21
7
291
86
1,123
Syphilis > 2 years or unspecified duration†,**
15
330
98
183
NDP
14
532
69
1,241
Syphilis – congenital**
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
3
Vaccine preventable diseases
Diphtheria
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Haemophilus influenzae type b
0
6
2
7
2
0
5
2
24
Influenza (laboratory confirmed)
95
1,592
479
3,202
4,247
103
2,076
1,625
13,419
Measles
1
25
2
14
2
0
15
11
70
Mumps
1
38
2
26
1
0
12
15
95
Pertussis
712
9,288
329
8,216
7,388
281
7,131
1,448
34,793
Pneumococcal disease (invasive)
24
503
56
271
140
46
406
198
1,644
Poliomyelitis
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Rubella
1
13
0
5
0
0
22
3
44
Rubella – congenital
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Tetanus
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
Varicella zoster (chickenpox)
4
NN
84
351
379
19
506
400
1,743
Varicella zoster (shingles)
31
NN
130
99
1,166
184
650
718
2,978
Varicella zoster (unspecified)
87
NN
3
3,894
298
81
1,912
877
7,152
Vectorborne diseases
Arbovirus infection (NEC)
0
1
10
1
0
0
12
0
24
Barmah Forest virus infection
4
265
82
908
57
2
76
77
1,471
Dengue virus infection
15
211
42
281
23
7
119
503
1,201
Japanese encephalitis virus infection
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Kunjin virus infection¶¶
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
Malaria
2
124
11
126
8
5
67
56
399
Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection¶¶
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Ross River virus infection
22
1,073
336
2,383
450
39
422
422
5,147
Zoonoses
Anthrax
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Australia bat lyssavirus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Brucellosis
0
2
2
16
1
0
0
0
21
Leptospirosis
1
21
2
84
2
1
14
6
131
Lyssavirus (NEC)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Ornithosis
0
13
0
0
1
3
36
3
56
Q fever
1
136
1
151
10
0
16
8
323
Tularaemia
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other bacterial infections
Legionellosis
4
93
3
42
29
6
67
54
298
Leprosy
0
1
1
2
0
0
4
3
11
Meningococcal infection***
1
76
3
53
25
6
44
22
230
Tuberculosis
10
478
31
188
72
10
431
107
1,327
Total
3,371
45,793
7,580
54,083
22,658
4,237
47,271
24,086
209,079

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Table 5: Notification rates of nationally notifiable communicable diseases per 100,000 population, Australia, 2010, by state or territory
Disease State or territory Aust
  ACT NSW NT Qld SA Tas Vic WA  

* Newly acquired hepatitis and syphilis includes cases where the infection was determined to be acquired within 24 months prior to diagnosis.

† Unspecified hepatitis and syphilis includes cases where the duration of infection could not be determined or is greater than 24 months.

‡ In Queensland, includes incident hepatitis C cases. § Notified as ‘foodborne disease’ or ‘gastroenteritis in an institution’ in New South Wales.

|| Infection with Shiga toxin/verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC/VTEC). ¶ Includes Chlamydia trachomatis identified from cervical, rectal, urine, urethral, throat and eye samples, except for South Australia, which reports only genital tract specimens; the Northern Territory and Western Australia exclude ocular infections.

** The national case definitions for chlamydial, gonococcal and syphilis diagnoses include infections that may be acquired through a non-sexual mode (especially in children – e.g. perinatal infections, epidemic gonococcal conjunctivitis).

†† Does not include congenital syphilis.

¶¶ In the Australian Capital Territory, Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection and Kunjin virus infection are combined under Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection.

*** Only invasive meningococcal disease is nationally notifiable. However, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia also report conjunctival cases.

NEC Not elsewhere classified.

NN Not notifiable.

NDP No data provided.

Bloodborne diseases
Hepatitis (NEC)
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Hepatitis B (newly acquired)*
0.8
0.5
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.2
1.2
1.4
1.0
Hepatitis B (unspecified)
25.9
33.6
68.4
23.7
24.9
10.0
34.1
33.7
95.0
Hepatitis C (newly acquired)*
3.3
0.5
0.0
NN
2.8
4.3
2.9
3.5
2.0
Hepatitis C (unspecified)†,‡
58.8
48.6
74.9
60.7
29.5
47.5
44.0
43.3
149.2
Hepatitis D
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.2
Gastrointestinal diseases
Botulism
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Campylobacteriosis§
153.8
NN
71.8
106.0
107.5
143.0
119.8
101.2
112.3
Cryptosporidiosis
3.3
4.8
42.2
6.7
2.9
19.7
7.8
6.2
6.6
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
Hepatitis A
1.4
1.1
1.3
0.9
0.2
0.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
Hepatitis E
0.6
0.2
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.2
0.1
0.2
Listeriosis
0.6
0.4
0.0
0.2
0.1
0.6
0.5
0.1
0.3
Salmonellosis
59.1
52.8
243.4
65.1
40.4
46.3
41.2
55.6
53.7
Shigellosis
2.0
1.6
32.7
2.1
3.3
1.0
1.6
5.0
2.5
STEC,VTEC||
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.4
2.0
0.0
0.2
0.3
0.4
Typhoid fever
0.6
0.4
0.9
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.4
0.5
0.4
Quarantinable diseases
Cholera
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
HPAIH
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Plague
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Rabies
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Smallpox
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Viral haemorrhagic fever
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Yellow fever
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Sexually transmitted infections
Chlamydial infection¶,**
322.4
252.5
1159.0
425.5
263.3
395.6
297.0
443.3
332.6
Donovanosis
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Gonococcal infection**
15.6
32.1
841.2
44.9
28.5
4.1
31.5
60.8
44.6
Syphilis – all**,††
8.1
10.3
61.4
8.9
2.7
4.1
14.8
6.7
10.6
Syphilis < 2 years duration**
3.9
5.7
18.7
4.9
2.7
1.4
5.2
3.7
5.0
Syphilis > 2 years or unspecified duration†,**
4.2
4.6
42.7
4.1
NDP
2.8
9.6
3.0
6.0
Syphilis – congenital**
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Vaccine preventable diseases
Diphtheria
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Haemophilus influenzae type b
0.0
0.1
0.9
0.2
0.1
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
Influenza (laboratory confirmed)
26.5
22.0
208.6
70.9
258.2
20.3
37.4
70.8
60.1
Measles
0.3
0.3
0.9
0.3
0.1
0.0
0.3
0.5
0.3
Mumps
0.3
0.5
0.9
0.6
0.1
0.0
0.2
0.7
0.4
Pertussis
198.4
128.3
143.2
181.9
449.2
55.4
128.5
63.1
155.7
Pneumococcal disease (invasive)
6.7
6.9
24.4
6.0
8.5
9.1
7.3
8.6
7.4
Poliomyelitis
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Rubella
0.3
0.2
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.4
0.1
0.2
Rubella – congenital
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Tetanus
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Varicella zoster (chickenpox)
1.1
NN
36.6
7.8
23.0
3.7
9.1
17.4
11.5
Varicella zoster (shingles)
8.6
NN
56.6
2.2
70.9
36.2
11.7
31.3
19.7
Varicella zoster (unspecified)
24.2
NN
1.3
86.2
18.1
16.0
34.5
38.2
47.4
Vectorborne diseases
Arbovirus infection (NEC)
0.0
0.0
4.4
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.1
Barmah Forest virus infection
1.1
3.7
35.7
20.1
3.5
0.4
1.4
3.4
6.6
Dengue virus infection
4.2
2.9
18.3
6.2
1.4
1.4
2.1
21.9
5.4
Japanese encephalitis virus infection
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Kunjin virus infection¶¶
0.0
0.0
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Malaria
0.6
1.7
4.8
2.8
0.5
1.0
1.2
2.4
1.8
Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection¶¶
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Ross River virus infection
6.1
14.8
146.3
52.8
27.4
7.7
7.6
18.4
23.0
Zoonoses
Anthrax
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Australia bat lyssavirus
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Brucellosis
0.0
0.0
0.9
0.4
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
Leptospirosis
0.3
0.3
0.9
1.9
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.6
Lyssavirus (NEC)
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Ornithosis
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.6
0.6
0.1
0.3
Q fever
0.3
1.9
0.4
3.3
0.6
0.0
0.3
0.3
1.4
Tularaemia
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Other bacterial diseases
Legionellosis
1.1
1.3
1.3
0.9
1.8
1.2
1.2
2.4
1.3
Leprosy
0.0
0.0
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.0
Meningococcal infection***
0.3
1.0
1.3
1.2
1.5
1.2
0.8
1.0
1.0
Tuberculosis
2.8
6.6
13.5
4.2
4.4
2.0
7.8
4.7
5.9

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Table 6: Notifications and notification rate for communicable diseases, Australia, 2005 to 2010, (per 100,000 population)
  Number of notifications 5 year mean Ratio Notification rate per 100,000 population
Disease 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

* Newly acquired hepatitis and syphilis includes cases where the infection was determined to be acquired within 24 months prior to diagnosis.

† Unspecified hepatitis and syphilis includes cases where the duration of infection could not be determined or is longer than 24 months.

‡ In Queensland, includes incident hepatitis C cases.

§ Notified as ‘foodborne disease’ or ‘gastroenteritis in an institution’ in New South Wales.

|| Infection with Shiga toxin/verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC/VTEC).

¶ Includes Chlamydia trachomatis identified from cervical, rectal, urine, urethral, throat and eye samples, except for South Australia, which reports only genital tract specimens; the Northern Territory and Western Australia exclude ocular infections.

** The national case definitions for chlamydial, gonococcal and syphilis diagnoses include infections that may be acquired through a non-sexual mode (especially in children – e.g. perinatal infections, epidemic gonococcal conjunctivitis).

†† Does not include congenital syphilis.

¶¶ In the Australian Capital Territory, Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection and Kunjin virus infection are combined under Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection.

*** Only invasive meningococcal disease is nationally notifiable. However, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia also report conjunctival cases.

NEC Not elsewhere classified.

NN Not notifiable.

Bloodborne diseases
Hepatitis (NEC)
1
1
0
1
0
0
0.6
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Hepatitis B (newly acquired)*
251
292
294
256
241
228
312.4
0.7
1.2
1.4
1.4
1.2
1.1
1.0
Hepatitis B (unspecified)
3,600
3,769
4,291
4,008
4,440
6,878
5,397.2
1.3
26.4
27.2
30.3
27.7
29.9
45.5
Hepatitis C (newly acquired)*
374
442
380
364
385
358
460.6
0.8
2.3
2.7
2.3
2.1
2.2
2.0
Hepatitis C (unspecified)†,‡
7,610
7,569
7,718
7,363
7,175
10,803
9,647.6
1.1
55.8
54.5
54.5
50.8
48.4
71.5
Hepatitis D
32
30
33
42
35
35
34.4
1.0
0.2
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
Gastrointestinal diseases
Botulism
3
1
1
0
1
0
1.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Campylobacteriosis§
16,498
15,423
16,990
15,543
16,081
16,966
16,107.0
1.1
121.0
111.1
119.9
107.3
108.4
112.3
Cryptosporidiosis
3,213
3,201
2,810
2,003
4,626
1,480
3,170.6
0.5
15.8
15.5
13.3
9.3
21.1
6.6
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
20
14
19
31
13
8
19.4
0.4
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
Hepatitis A
327
281
165
277
563
263
322.6
0.8
1.6
1.4
0.8
1.3
2.6
1.2
Hepatitis E
30
24
18
44
33
38
29.8
1.3
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.2
Listeriosis
54
61
50
68
92
71
65.0
1.1
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.3
Salmonellosis
8,422
8,251
9,534
8,333
9,586
11,993
8,825.2
1.4
41.3
39.9
45.2
38.8
43.6
53.7
Shigellosis
729
546
599
830
622
552
665.2
0.8
3.6
2.6
2.8
3.9
2.8
2.5
STEC, VTEC||
86
70
106
107
130
81
99.8
0.8
0.4
0.3
0.5
0.5
0.6
0.4
Typhoid fever
52
77
90
105
116
96
88.0
1.1
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.5
0.5
0.4
Quarantinable diseases
Cholera
3
3
4
4
5
3
3.8
0.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
HPAIH
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Plague
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Rabies
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Smallpox
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Viral haemorrhagic fever
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Yellow fever
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Sexually transmissible infections
Chlamydial infection¶,**
41,290
47,434
51,971
58,435
62,632
74,305
52,352.4
1.4
202.5
229.2
246.6
271.8
285.1
332.6
Donovanosis
13
6
3
2
1
1
5.0
0.2
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Gonococcal infection**
8,055
8,597
7,635
7,642
7,963
9,971
7,978.4
1.2
39.5
41.5
36.2
35.5
36.3
44.6
Syphilis – all**,††
1,939
2,205
2,769
2,695
2,708
2,364
2,463.2
1.0
9.5
10.7
13.1
12.5
12.3
10.6
Syphilis < 2 years duration**
656
890
1,418
1,325
1,310
1,099
1,119.8
1.0
3.2
4.3
6.7
6.2
6.0
5.0
Syphilis > 2 years or unspecified duration**
1,283
1,315
1,351
1,370
1,398
1241
1,343.4
0.9
6.3
6.9
6.9
6.9
6.9
6.0
Syphilis – congenital**
17
11
7
6
3
3
8.8
0.3
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Vaccine preventable diseases
Diphtheria
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Haemophilus influenzae type b
17
22
17
25
19
24
20.0
1.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Influenza (laboratory confirmed)‡‡
4,638
3,327
10,600
9,223
59,090
13,419
17,375.6
0.8
22.7
16.1
50.3
42.9
269.0
60.1
Measles
10
125
12
65
104
70
63.2
1.1
0.0
0.6
0.1
0.3
0.5
0.3
Mumps
240
275
582
285
165
95
309.4
0.3
1.2
1.3
2.8
1.3
0.8
0.4
Pertussis
11,167
9,764
4,864
14,292
29,794
34,793
13,976.2
2.5
54.8
47.2
23.1
66.5
135.6
155.7
Pneumococcal disease (invasive)
1,691
1,451
1,476
1,628
1,557
1,644
1,560.6
1.1
8.3
7.0
7.0
7.6
7.1
7.4
Poliomyelitis
0
0
1
0
0
0
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Rubella
29
59
34
36
27
44
37.0
1.2
0.1
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.2
Rubella – congenital
1
0
2
0
0
0
0.6
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Tetanus
2
3
3
4
3
2
3.0
0.7
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Varicella zoster (chickenpox)
16
1,622
1,667
1,799
1,753
1,743
1,710.3
1.0
NN
18.5
18.6
19.6
11.8
11.5
Varicella zoster (shingles)
7
1,178
1,562
2,326
2,716
2,978
1,945.5
1.5
NN
13.5
17.5
25.4
18.3
19.7
Varicella zoster (unspecified)
141
3,764
4,284
4,413
6,775
7,152
4,809.0
1.5
NN
43.0
47.9
48.2
45.7
47.4
Vectorborne diseases
Arbovirus infection (NEC)
27
30
17
12
8
24
18.8
1.3
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.1
Barmah Forest virus infection
1,317
2,130
1,712
2,087
1,480
1,471
1,745.2
0.8
6.5
10.3
8.1
9.7
6.7
6.6
Dengue virus infection
219
189
314
563
1,406
1,201
538.2
2.2
1.1
0.9
1.5
2.6
6.4
5.4
Japanese encephalitis virus infection
0
0
0
1
0
0
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Kunjin virus infection¶¶
1
3
1
1
2
2
1.6
1.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Malaria
816
770
565
524
508
399
636.6
0.6
4.0
3.7
2.7
2.4
2.3
1.8
Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection¶¶
2
1
0
2
4
0
1.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Ross River virus infection
2,538
5,529
4,180
5,663
4,796
5,147
4,541.2
1.1
12.4
26.7
19.8
26.3
21.8
23.0
Zoonoses
Anthrax
0
1
1
0
0
1
0.4
2.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Australian bat lyssavirus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Brucellosis
41
50
37
45
32
21
41.0
0.5
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
Leptospirosis
129
145
108
112
146
131
128.0
1.0
0.6
0.7
0.5
0.5
0.7
0.6
Lyssavirus (NEC)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Ornithosis
164
165
93
102
65
56
117.8
0.5
0.8
0.8
0.4
0.5
0.3
0.3
Q fever
352
411
449
376
310
323
379.6
0.9
1.7
2.0
2.1
1.7
1.4
1.4
Tularaemia
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Other bacterial infections
Legionellosis
331
349
307
272
302
298
312.2
1.0
1.6
1.7
1.5
1.3
1.4
1.3
Leprosy
10
7
13
11
4
11
9.0
1.2
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
Meningococcal infection***
393
318
305
286
259
230
312.2
0.7
1.9
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.0
Tuberculosis
1,078
1,211
1,134
1,196
1,324
1,327
1,188.6
1.1
5.3
5.9
5.4
5.6
6.0
5.9
Total
117,996
131,207
139,827
153,508
230,100
209,079

The year in which diseases became notifiable to NNDSS in each jurisdiction is shown in Table 7.

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Table 7: Earliest notification year for which NNDSS contains disease data, Australia, by state or territory*
Disease
Year in which data first sent to Commonwealth Period of national reporting Exceptions to national reporting
  ACT NSW NT Qld SA Tas Vic WA    

* Data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System annual reports from 1991. First full year of reporting to Commonwealth is shown. Some diseases may have been notifiable to state or territory health departments before the dates shown here.

† Includes paratyphoid in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

‡ Includes neonatal ophthalmia in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria.

§ Includes syphilis – congenital from 1991 to 2002.

|| Includes rubella – congenital from 1991 to 2002.

¶ Before 1997, includes Ross River virus infection, dengue virus infection and Barmah Forest virus infection.

** Flavivirus (NEC) replaced arbovirus (NEC) 1 January 2004. Arbovirus (NEC) replaced Flavivirus (NEC) in 2008.

NN Not notifiable

Bloodborne diseases
Hepatitis (NEC)
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 NN 1991 to present WA do not report
Hepatitis B (newly acquired)
1995 1993 1993 1994 1993 1993 1993 1994 1995 to present ACT did not report 1994
Hepatitis B (unspecified)
1991 1991 2004 1994 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Hepatitis C (newly acquired)
1995 1993 2005 NN 1993 1995 1997 1995 1993 to present All jurisdictions except Qld
Hepatitis C (unspecified)
1991 1991 1991 1991 1994 1991 1991 1993 1995 to present Includes reports of incident hepatitis C, 1991 to 1994
Hepatitis D
1999 1999 1999 1997 1999 1999 1999 2001 1999 to present WA did not report 1999–2000
Gastrointestinal diseases
Botulism
1992 1998 1998 1997 1993 1992 1992 2001 1992 to present State reporting started as shown
Campylobacteriosis
1991 NN 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present NSW do not report
Cryptosporidiosis
2001 2001 2001 1996 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 to present  
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
1999 1999 1999 1997 1999 1999 1999 1999 1999 to present  
Hepatitis A
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Hepatitis E
1999 1999 1999 1999 1999 1999 1999 2001 1999 to present WA did not report 1999–2000
Listeriosis
1991 1991 1994 1991 1992 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present SA did not report 1991
NT did not report 1991–1993
Salmonellosis
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Shigellosis
1991 2001 1991 1997 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present NSW did not report 1991–2000
Qld did not report 1991–2006
STEC, VTEC
1999 1999 1999 2002 1999 1999 1999 2001 1999 to present Qld did not report 1991–2002
WA did not report 1999–2001
Typhoid
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Quarantinable diseases
Cholera
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Highly pathogenic avian influenza in humans
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 to present  
Plague
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Rabies
1993 1997 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 to present  
Smallpox
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 to present  
Viral haemorrhagic fever
1993 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Yellow fever
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Sexually transmissible infections
Chlamydial infection (NEC)
1993 1991 1991 1991 1993 1991 1991 1993 1994 to present NSW did not report 1994–1998
Donovanosis
1991 2002 1991 1991 2002 1993 1991 1991 1991 to present NSW and SA did not report 1991–2001
Tasmania did not report 1991–1992
Gonococcal infection
1991 1993 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Syphilis – all§
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Syphilis < 2 years
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 to present  
Syphilis > 2 years or unspecified duration
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 to present  
Syphilis – congenital
2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 to present  
Vaccine preventable diseases
Diphtheria
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Haemophilus influenzae type b
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1994 1991 to present WA did not report 1991–1993
Influenza (laboratory confirmed)
2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 to present  
Measles
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Mumps
1992 1992 1995 1997–1998; 2002 1994 1995 1992 1994 1995 to present Qld did not report (1995–1996 & 1999–2000)
Pertussis
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Pneumococcal disease (invasive)
2001 2001 2001 1997 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 to present  
Poliomyelitis
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Rubella||
1991 1991 1993 1991 1993 1995 1992 1994 1993 to present Tasmania did not report 1993–1994
Rubella – congenital
2003 2003 2003 1997 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 to present  
Tetanus
1991 1991 1991 1985 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present Qld did not report 1991–1993
Varicella zoster (chickenpox)
2006 NN 2006 2006 2006 2006 2008 2006 2006 to present All jurisdictions except NSW
Reported by Victoria in September 2008
Varicella zoster (shingles)
2006 NN 2006 2006 2006 2006 2008 2006 2006 to present All jurisdictions except NSW
Reported by Victoria in September 2008
Varicella zoster (unspecified)
2006 NN 2006 2006 2006 2006 2008 2006 2006 to present All jurisdictions except NSW
Reported by Victoria in September 2008
Vectorborne diseases
Barmah Forest virus infection
1995 1995 1997 1995 1995 1995 1995 1995 1995 to present  
Dengue virus infection
1993 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1995 1991 to present ACT did not report 1991–1992
Arbovirus infection (NEC)¶,**
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present Includes JE, MVE and Kunjin 1991–2000
Japanese encephalitis virus infection
2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 to present  
Kunjin virus
2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 to present Reported under MVE in ACT
Malaria
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection
2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 to present Combined with Kunjin in ACT
Ross River virus infection
1993 1993 1991 1991 1993 1993 1991 1991 1993 to present  
Zoonoses
Anthrax
2001 2001 2001 1991 2002 2001 2001 2001 2001 to present  
Australian bat lyssavirus
2001 2001 2001 1998 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 to present  
Brucellosis
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Leptospirosis
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Lyssavirus (NEC)
2001 2001 2001 1998 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 to present  
Ornithosis
1991 2001 1991 1992 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present NSW did not report 1991–2000
Qld did not report 1997–2001
Q fever
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Tularaemia
2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 to present  
Other bacterial infections
Legionellosis
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Leprosy
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Meningococcal infection
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  
Tuberculosis
1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 1991 to present  

The major changes in communicable disease notifications in 2010 are shown in Figure 3 as the ratio of notifications in 2009 to the mean number of notifications for the previous 5 years. Pertussis, gonococcal infection, chlamydial infection and salmonellosis all exceeded the expected range (5-year mean plus 2 standard deviations).

Figure 3: Total notifications of selected diseases reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System in 2010, compared with the previous 5-year mean

Total notifications of selected diseases reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System in 2010, compared with the previous 5-year mean

Text version of Figure 3 (TXT 1 KB)

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Data completeness

Data on the sex of cases was complete in 99.8% of notifications and age at onset in close to 100% of notifications (Table 8). In 2010, Indigenous status was complete in 54% of notifications, and varied by jurisdiction. Indigenous status was complete for 94% of data reported in the Northern Territory, 84% in South Australia and 90% in Western Australia. In the remaining jurisdictions, less than 60% of data were complete for Indigenous status.

Table 8: Completeness of National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System data received, Australia, 2010, by state or territory*
  State or territory  
  ACT NSW NT Qld SA Tas Vic WA Aust

* Indigenous status is usually obtained from medical notification and completeness varies by disease and by state and territory. This reflects differences in notification requirements (i.e. depending on the jurisdiction, some diseases are primarily or completely notified by pathology laboratories rather than clinicians) and the fact that it is not possible to follow-up all cases for diseases with a large volume of notifications and/or not requiring specific case-based public health action.

Total notifications
3,371
45,793
7,580
54,083
22,658
4,237
47,271
24,086
209,079
Sex
Unknown/ missing
1
166
3
17
0
0
389
0
518
Per cent complete
99.9
99.6
99.9
99.9
100.0
100.0
99.2
100.0
99.8
Age at onset
Unknown/ missing
0
74
0
0
0
1
139
0
200
Per cent complete
100.0
99.8
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.7
100.0
99.9
Indigenous status
Unknown/ missing
2,335
33,368
450
30,905
3,747
1,783
22,437
2,386
95,933
Per cent complete
30.7
27.1
94.1
42.9
83.5
57.9
52.5
90.1
54.1

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Data completeness on Indigenous status also varied by disease as summarised in Appendix 3. There were 5 diseases for which notifications were 100% complete for Indigenous status.9 A further 9 diseases equalled or exceeded 90% completeness for Indigenous status. Of the 18 priority diseases agreed to by CDNA and the NSC in 2010 for improving Indigenous identification, nine had an Indigenous completeness that exceeded 90% (donovanosis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis A, meningococcal infection, congenital syphilis, syphilis < 2 years duration, leprosy, measles, and tuberculosis). The diseases for which there was less than 90% Indigenous completeness included hepatitis C (newly acquired), hepatitis B (newly acquired), dengue virus infection, gonococcal infection, pneumococcal disease (invasive), and shigellosis. In 2010, CDNA set target thresholds of 90% completeness for priority diseases and 80% completeness for the remainder of the notifiable diseases.

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