Communicable Diseases Surveillance - Tables

This report published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 23, No 1, 21 January 1999 contains an analysis and tables of monthly notifiable diseases and laboratory data, and quarterly surveillance reports.

Page last updated: 22 September 2004

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




There were 4,122 notifications to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) in the four week period, 9 December 1998 to 5 January 1999 (Tables 1 and 2). The numbers of reports for selected diseases have been compared with historical data for corresponding periods in the previous three years (Figure 2).

There were 1,307 reports received by the Virology and Serology Laboratory Reporting Scheme (LabVISE) in the four week period, 3 to 30 December 1998 (Tables 3 and 4).

The Australian Sentinel Practice Research Network (ASPREN) data for weeks 44 to 47, ending 29 November 1998, are included in this issue of CDI (Table 5).

Table 1. Notifications of diseases preventable by vaccines recommended by the NHMRC for routine childhood immunisation, received by State and Territory health authorities in the period 9 December 1998 to 5 January 1999

Disease1,2
 ACT NSW NT Qld SA Tas Vic WA This period 1998/99 This period 1997/99 Full year 1998 Full year 1997
Diphtheria
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
H. influenzae type b infection
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
33
53
Measles3
3
1
0
1
0
1
3
2
11
67
225
852
Mumps
0
1
0
2
0
0
4
4
11
9
176
191
Pertussis
20
58
0
71
20
0
41
5
215
1,237
5,696
10,668
Rubella4
0
3
1
4
0
0
6
3
17
56
765
1,446
Tetanus
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
8

NN. Not Notifiable
1. No notification of poliomyelitis has been received since 1986.
2. Totals comprise data from all States and Territories. Cumulative figures are subject to retrospective revision, so there may be discrepancies between the number of new notifications and the increment in the cumulative figure from the previous period.
3. The total number of measles notifications for 1998 has been revised downwards because of a reclassification of 79 cases previously notified as measles by Victoria. These cases have been reclassified as not measles following results of serology.
4. Includes congenital rubella.

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Table 2. Notifications of diseases received by State and Territory health authorities in the period 9 December 1998 to 5 January 1999

Disease1,2,3,4
 ACT NSW NT Qld SA Tas Vic WA This period 1998/99 This period 1997/98 Full year 19985 Full year 1997
Arbovirus infection (NEC)
0
0
0
5
0
0
10
0
15
3
84
18
Barmah Forest virus infection
0
9
0
14
0
0
1
0
24
29
555
704
Brucellosis
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
4
45
41
Campylobacteriosis6
27
-
8
221
234
25
265
94
874
875
13,137
11,848
Chancroid
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
04
1
1
Chlamydial infection (NEC)7
4
NN
14
223
65
9
3
95
500
534
8,797
9,126
Cholera
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
3
Dengue
0
2
1
51
1
0
0
1
56
5
558
210
Donovanosis
0
NN
0
0
NN
0
0
0
0
9
36
45
Gonococcal infection8
4
80
31
87
15
0
1
54
272
367
5,274
4,689
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome9
NN
0
NN
0
1
0
NN
0
1
1
11
4
Hepatitis A
0
24
0
12
3
0
4
7
50
174
2,420
3,076
Hepatitis B incident
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
0
5
9
228
247
Hepatitis B unspecified10
8
98
0
52
0
0
149
12
319
335
6,716
7,114
Hepatitis C incident11
1
1
0
-
5
0
1
6
14
9
341
81
Hepatitis C unspecified5,10
22
305
16
173
66
28
160
65
835
1,246
19,599
19,689
Hepatitis (NEC)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
NN
0
1
2
6
Hydatid infection
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
4
2
46
61
Legionellosis
1
0
0
0
8
0
7
1
17
16
260
161
Leprosy
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
3
2
14
Leptospirosis
0
3
0
8
0
0
2
0
13
9
190
126
Listeriosis
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
1
5
3
54
71
Malaria
2
9
0
7
1
3
8
2
32
39
688
746
Meningococcal infection
0
6
0
5
3
0
6
4
24
34
421
499
Ornithosis
0
NN
0
0
0
0
6
0
6
3
56
46
Q fever
0
7
0
12
0
0
4
1
24
35
578
593
Ross River virus infection
0
104
11
77
23
0
46
31
292
107
3,074
6,683
Salmonellosis (NEC)
3
0
26
111
19
9
85
45
298
389
5,895
7,004
Shigellosis6
1
-
4
6
2
0
1
11
25
43
604
799
SLTEC, VTEC12
NN
0
NN
NN
2
0
NN
NN
2
3
16
20
Syphilis13
0
24
4
73
0
0
0
4
105
91
1,570
1,293
TTP14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Tuberculosis
2
9
0
4
6
1
12
5
39
79
829
1,008
Typhoid15
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
3
6
72
77
Yersiniosis (NEC)6
0
-
0
6
4
1
0
0
11
10
208
245

1. Diseases preventable by routine childhood immunisation are presented in Table 1.
2. For HIV and AIDS, see Tables 7 and 8.
3. Totals comprise data from all States and Territories. Cumulative figures are subject to retrospective revision so there may be discrepancies between the number of new notifications and the increment in the cumulative figure from the previous period.
4. No notifications have been received during 1998 for the following rare diseases: botulism (foodborne), lymphogranuloma venereum, plague, rabies, yellow fever, or other viral haemorrhagic fevers.
5. Data from Victoria for 1998 are incomplete.
6. Not reported for NSW because it is only notifiable as 'foodborne disease' or 'gastroenteritis in an institution'.
7. WA: genital only.
8. NT, Qld, SA and Vic: includes gonococcal neonatal ophthalmia.
9. Nationally reportable from August 1998.
10.Unspecified numbers should be interpreted with some caution as the magnitude may be a reflection of the numbers of tests being carried out.
11. Includes hepatitis D and E.
12. Infections with Shiga-like toxin (verotoxin) producing E. coli (SLTEC/VTEC) became nationally reportable in August 1998.
13. Includes congenital syphilis.
14. Thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura became nationally reportable in August 1998.
15. NSW, Qld, Vic: includes paratyphoid.
NN Not Notifiable.
NEC Not Elsewhere Classified.
- Elsewhere Classified.
NA Not applicable, as reporting for this condition did not commence until 1998.

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Figure 2. Selected National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System reports, and historical data1

Figure 2. Selected National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System reports, and historical data

1. The historical data are the averages of the number of notifications in the corresponding 4 week periods of the last 3 years and the 2 week periods immediately preceding and following those.

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Table 3. Virology and serology laboratory reports by State or Territory1 for the reporting period 5 November to 2 December 1998, and total reports for the year

  State or Territory1 Total this period Total reported in CDI in 1999
ACT NSW NT Qld SA Tas Vic WA
Measles, mumps, rubella
Measles virus
 
1
 
 
1
 
1
 
3
3
Rubella virus
 
 
 
1
3
 
 
1
5
5
Hepatitis viruses
Hepatitis A virus
 
 
3
 
12
 
 
7
22
22
Arboviruses
Ross River virus
 
1
6
 
19
1
1
20
48
48
Barmah Forest virus
 
 
2
 
 
 
 
3
5
5
Flavivirus (unspecified)
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
 
1
1
Adenoviruses
Adenovirus type 1
 
1
 
 
5
 
3
 
9
9
Adenovirus type 2
 
 
 
 
1
 
1
 
2
2
Adenovirus type 3
 
 
 
 
3
 
4
 
7
7
Adenovirus type 4
 
 
 
 
1
 
 
 
1
1
Adenovirus type 6
 
 
 
 
3
 
 
 
3
3
Adenovirus type 40
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2
2
2
Adenovirus not typed/pending
 
44
 
 
40
1
 
17
102
102
Herpes viruses
Cytomegalovirus
 
2
 
 
22
 
9
2
35
35
Varicella-zoster virus
2
14
 
 
46
2
7
22
93
93
Epstein-Barr virus
 
 
6
 
152
1
10
48
217
217
Other DNA viruses
Contagious pustular dermatitis (Orf virus)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
1
1
Parvovirus
 
2
 
 
6
 
4
6
18
18
Picornavirus family
Coxsackievirus B4
 
 
 
 
2
 
 
 
2
2
Coxsackievirus B5
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
 
1
1
Echovirus type 4
 
2
 
 
 
 
 
 
2
2
Echovirus type 6
 
2
 
 
 
 
 
 
2
2
Echovirus type 9
1
8
 
 
1
 
 
 
10
10
Echovirus type 11
1
12
 
 
 
 
 
 
13
13
Echovirus type 14
 
1
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
1
Echovirus type 17
 
1
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
1
Echovirus type 18
 
7
 
 
 
 
 
 
7
7
Echovirus type 22
 
6
 
 
 
 
 
 
6
6
Echovirus type 30
 
10
 
 
 
 
 
 
10
10
Poliovirus type 1 (uncharacterised)
 
1
 
 
1
 
 
 
2
2
Poliovirus type 2 (uncharacterised)
 
5
 
 
1
 
 
 
6
6
Poliovirus type 3 (uncharacterised)
 
2
 
 
 
 
 
 
2
2
Rhinovirus (all types)
1
28
 
 
7
 
2
5
43
43
Enterovirus not typed/pending
 
7
2
 
 
 
3
23
35
35
Ortho/paramyxoviruses
Influenza A virus
 
54
 
 
39
 
1
1
95
95
Influenza B virus
 
1
 
 
5
 
 
 
6
6
Parainfluenza virus type 1
 
 
 
 
4
 
 
 
4
4
Parainfluenza virus type 3
1
12
 
 
41
 
3
5
62
62
Respiratory syncytial virus
 
4
 
 
42
1
 
10
57
57
Other RNA viruses
HTLV-1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
1
1
Rotavirus
 
52
 
1
47
2
1
3
106
106
Norwalk agent
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
 
1
1
Small virus (like) particle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
1
1
Other
Chlamydia trachomatis not typed
 
12
1
 
70
2
 
39
124
124
Chlamydia psittaci
 
 
 
 
 
 
3
 
3
3
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
 
3
 
 
65
 
24
4
96
96
Mycoplasma hominis
 
1
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
1
Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)
 
 
 
 
1
 
1
1
3
3
Salmonella species
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
1
1
Bordetella pertussis
 
4
 
 
 
 
13
2
19
19
Legionella pneumophila
 
 
 
 
1
 
 
 
1
1
Legionella longbeachae
 
 
 
 
7
 
 
2
9
9
Total
6
300
20
2
648
10
94
227
1,307
1,307

1. State or Territory of postcode, if reported, otherwise State or Territory of reporting laboratory.

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Table 4. Virology and serology laboratory reports by contributing laboratories for the reporting period 3 to 30 December 1998

State or Territory
Laboratory
Reports
New South Wales Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead
New Children's Hospital, Westmead
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown 		230
45
30
South Australia Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide 648
Tasmania Northern Tasmanian Pathology Service, Launceston
Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart 		6
4
Victoria Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Fairfield 		46
50
Western Australia PathCentre Virology, Perth
Western Diagnostic Pathology 		158
90
Total   1,307


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Table 5. Australian Sentinel Practice Research Network reports, weeks 44 to 47, 1998

Week number
44 45 46 47
Week ending on
8 November 1998
15 November 1998
22 November 1998
29 November 1998
Doctors reporting
53
57
58
53
Total encounters
6,560
7,401
6,854
6,546
Condition
Reports Rate per 1,000 encounters Reports Rate per 1,000 encounters Reports Rate per 1,000 encounters Reports Rate per 1,000 encounters
Influenza
17
2.6
9
1.2
16
2.3
14
2.1
Rubella
2
0.3
3
0.4
1
0.1
0
0.0
Measles
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
Chickenpox
13
2.0
13
1.8
15
2.2
14
2.1
Pertussis
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
HIV testing (patient initiated)
7
1.1
10
1.4
12
1.8
10
1.5
HIV testing (doctor initiated)
2
0.3
7
0.9
3
0.4
0
0.0
Td (ADT) vaccine
41
6.3
51
6.9
39
5.7
45
6.9
Pertussis vaccination
43
6.6
56
7.6
54
7.9
36
5.5
Reaction to pertussis vaccine
1
0.2
1
0.1
1
0.1
2
0.3
Ross River virus infection
1
0.2
0
0.0
1
0.1
2
0.3
Gastroenteritis
85
13.0
98
13.2
103
15.0
86
13.1


The NNDSS is conducted under the auspices of the Communicable Diseases Network Australia New Zealand. The system coordinates the national surveillance of more than 40 communicable diseases or disease groups endorsed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Notifications of these diseases are made to State and Territory health authorities under the provisions of their respective public health legislations. De-identified core unit data are supplied fortnightly for collation, analysis and dissemination. For further information, see Commun Dis Intell 1998;22:4-5.

LabVISE is a sentinel reporting scheme. Twenty-one laboratories contribute data on the laboratory identification of viruses and other organisms. Data are collated and published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence every four weeks. These data should be interpreted with caution as the number and type of reports received is subject to a number of biases. For further information, see Commun Dis Intell 1998;22:8.

ASPREN currently comprises about 100 general practitioners from throughout the country. Up to 9,000 consultations are reported each week, with special attention to 12 conditions chosen for sentinel surveillance in 1998. CDI reports the consultation rates for all of these. For further information, including case definitions, see Commun Dis Intell 1998;22:5-6.


This article was published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 23, No 1, 21 January 1999.

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