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Quarantinable diseases

In Australia, the human diseases proclaimed to be quarantinable under the Quarantine Act 1908 are cholera, plague, rabies, yellow fever, and 4 viral haemorrhagic fevers (Ebola, Marburg, Lassa and Crimean-Congo). Cholera, plague, yellow fever and the viral haemorrhagic fevers are of international public health significance with mandatory reporting to the WHO, under International Health Regulations (http://www.who.int/csr/ihr/en/). Rabies is a disease of both human and animal quarantine importance in Australia. All States and Territories notify the quarantinable diseases to the NNDSS.

The only cases of quarantinable disease reported in Australia in 1999 were 3 cases of cholera. Two of these cases were imported, one from Indonesia and one from India. The other case occurred from local water sources in New South Wales. Two were Vibrio cholerae 01 classical Ogawa and one was 01 El Tor/Ogawa.

Cases of cholera continue to be reported in travellers returning from foreign countries, particularly from Asia. These cases demonstrate the importance of travellers consuming safe food and drink in areas where cholera is known to occur. In general, travellers should be aware of how to avoid the diseases which are commonly reported in many developing countries.

Although no cases of rabies or yellow fever were reported in Australia, worldwide these 2 diseases continue to cause fatalities and travellers should be aware of measures they can take to prevent infection with these viruses. Travellers intending to visit central Africa or central South America are encouraged to be vaccinated with the yellow fever vaccine from an approved Australian vaccination centre. Information on quarantinable diseases can be found on the Department of Health and Ageing Website at: http:/www.health.gov.au/pubhlth/strateg/quaranti/index.htm


This article was published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 25, No 4, November 2001.