A print friendly PDF version is available from this Communicable Diseases Intelligence issue's table of contents.

We are pleased to announce the commencement of the Communicable Diseases Intelligence Technical Report Series and the publication of the first two documents in this series: The control of pertussis in Australia and Foodborne disease: Towards reducing foodborne illness in Australia.

Communicable Diseases Intelligence is the journal of the Communicable Diseases Network Australia New Zealand, which was established in 1989 as a joint initiative of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council (AHMAC). Members of the Network include Commonwealth, State/Territory and New Zealand health authorities, and representatives of other government agencies and non-government organisations with expertise in communicable disease control.

The Network oversees the co-ordination of national communicable disease surveillance, the response to communicable disease outbreaks of national significance and the field training of communicable disease epidemiologists, and is responsible for the development of national policy related to the public health aspects of communicable diseases. The Technical Report Series reflects the expanding role of the Network in policy development.

The Technical Report Series will be available in two formats - hard copy and electronic. The hard copy versions, will be available through AusInfo at a cost-recovery price. The electronic versions will be available on the Internet, accessible through the website.

A short description of the first two documents in the series is provided below. As new documents are developed and published they will be announced in future editions of CDI.

Communicable Diseases Intelligence Technical Report Series No. 1 - The control of pertussis in Australia

While morbidity and mortality from pertussis have declined dramatically since the pre-vaccine era, we are still seeing an unacceptable level of this vaccine preventable disease in Australia. This report examines the epidemiology of the disease and the issues involved in making the clinical and laboratory diagnosis. It makes recommendations for enhanced surveillance of the disease and appropriate management of cases and contacts. It also identifies priority areas for research to improve our understanding of the disease and its control. The Report stresses that the most effective measure for the control of pertussis remains the full vaccination of all children against the disease, and includes an appendix which provides historical and current information about pertussis vaccines and their use in Australia.

The document is electronically accessible from our website - The control of pertussis in Australia (PDF file 630KB).

Communicable Diseases Intelligence Technical Report Series No. 2 - Foodborne disease: Towards reducing foodborne illness in Australia

Foodborne illness is a significant public health problem around the world and has major economic and social impacts. This report assesses current trends in the epidemiology of foodborne disease, identifies gaps in our knowledge, and makes recommendations for action to reduce foodborne disease in Australia. It promotes the need for nationally consistent policies and encourages a multi-sector approach to the prevention, surveillance and control of foodborne diseases. The report was developed by a working party of experts in epidemiology, public health, microbiology, veterinary science and clinical practice as well as representatives from the primary industry, manufacturing and consumer sectors, and endorsed by the Communicable Diseases Network Australia New Zealand in December 1997.

The hard copy publication (Publication Identification Number 2338) is available for sale for $9.95 from AusInfo [No longer available - 4 April 2005]. The document will also be electronically accessible from our website - Foodborne disease: Towards reducing foodborne illness (PDF file 519KB).

If you are unable to download these documents please email cdi.editor@health.com.au


This article was published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 22, No 9, 3 September 1998.