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

The Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN) was established as part of the implementation of the National Communicable Diseases Surveillance Strategy. The PHLN is a collaborative group of laboratories with expertise in public health microbiology. State and Territory health departments nominate the laboratories, while relevant national organisations and a laboratory from New Zealand are also represented on the PHLN.

The PHLN facilitates nationwide and regional collaboration between microbiologists and epidemiologists and disseminates information about, and advises on: public health policies, the best available testing, data management and analysis, and research on communicable disease control.

The inaugural meeting of the PHLN was held in June 1997. The network now communicates monthly by teleconference and annually in person. Current work of the PHLN includes writing laboratory case definitions for all of the national notifiable diseases, providing typing and subtyping nomenclature for each organism for the revised National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), and reviewing recommendations for changes to the Laboratory Virology and Serology (LabVISE) reporting scheme.

The PHLN is a network for all microbiologists involved in public health. If you wish to bring a matter to the attention of the PHLN, please contact your representative or the secretariat; their contact details are listed below.

Australian Capital Territory - ACT Pathology

Mr Paul Southwell. Phone: (02) 6244 2510
E-mail: paul.southwell@act.gov.au

New South Wales - Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR)

Chair: Professor Lyn Gilbert. Phone: (02) 9845 6252
E-mail: lyng@icpmr.wsahs.nsw.gov.au

Dr Dominic Dwyer. Phone: (02) 9845 6694
E-mail: dominic_dwyer@wmi.usyd.edu.au

New South Wales - South Eastern Area Laboratory Services (SEALS)

A/Prof William Rawlinson. Phone: (02) 9382 9113
E-mail: w.rawlinson@unsw.edu.au

A/Prof John Tapsall. Phone: (02) 9382 9079
E-mail: j.tapsall@unsw.edu.au

Northern Territory - Territory Health Services

Dr Gary Lum. Phone: (08) 8922 8034
E-mail: glum@ozE-mail.com.au

Queensland - Queensland Health Pathology Services

Dr Joan Faoagali. Phone: (07) 3636 8050
E-mail: faoagalij@health.qld.gov.au

Queensland - Queensland Health Scientific Services

Mr John Bates. Phone: (07) 3274 9101
E-mail: john.bates@health.qld.gov.au

South Australia - Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (IMVS)

Prof Chris Burrell. Phone: (08) 8303 5434
E-mail: christopher.burrell@adelaide.edu.au

Dr Geoff Higgins. Phone: (08) 8222 3378
E-mail: geoff.higgins@imvs.sa.gov.au

Dr Jan Lanser. Phone: (08) 8222 3385
E-mail: janice.lanser@imvs.sa.gov.au

Tasmania - Royal Hobart Hospital

Dr Alistair McGregor. Phone: (03) 6222 8022
E-mail: alistair.mcgregor@dchs.tas.gov.au

Victoria - Microbiological Diagnostic Unit (MDU)

A/Prof Geoff Hogg. Phone: (03) 8344 5701
E-mail: g.hogg@microbiology.unimelb.edu.au

Victoria - Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL)

Dr Mike Catton. Phone: (03) 9342 2637
E-mail: mike.catton@mh.org.au

Western Australia - PathCentre

Dr Tim Inglis. Phone: (08) 9346 3461
E-mail: tim.inglis@health.wa.gov.au

Dr David Smith. Phone: (08) 9346 3122
E-mail: david.smith@health.wa.gov.au

National - CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL)

Dr Tony Della-Porta. Phone: (03) 5227 5015
E-mail: antony.della-porta@li.csiro.au

National - Communicable Diseases Network Australia New Zealand (CDNANZ)

Dr Vicki Krause. Phone: (08) 8922 8510
E-mail: vicki.krause@nt.gov.au

National - Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care

Dr Angela Merianos. Phone: (02) 6289 8403
E-mail: angela.merianos@health.gov.au

National - National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH)

Ms Mary Beers. Phone: (02) 6249 5609
E-mail: myb868@nceph.anu.edu.au

New Zealand - Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR)

Dr Diana Martin. Phone: 0011 64 4914 0778
E-mail: diana.martin@esr.cri.nz

PHLN Secretariat

Ms Robyn Leader
Surveillance and Management Section
Department of Health and Aged Care
GPO Box 9848 (MDP6)
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Phone: (02) 6289 3688
Facsimile: (02) 6289 7791
E-mail: phln@health.gov.au


This article was published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 24, No 10, October 2000.