These guidelines for the control of infectious diseases provide detailed information about common and rare diseases that may pose public health concerns.
Each topic includes sections on:
- notification requirements
- school and childcare exclusion
- identification of symptoms
- incubation periods,
- modes of transmission
- control measures.
These guidelines aim to assist public health practitioners in the prevention and control of infectious diseases.
The guidelines differ depending on the disease. Some diseases are notifiable and have mandatory school exclusions.
Infectious diseases descriptions, notification requirements and management
Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD)
Notification is required in Victoria. Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) can occur as a complication of infection with the Group A Streptococcus (GAS) bacterium.
Acute bacterial conjunctivitis
Notification is required in Victoria, depending on which pathogen is identified in a case of acute bacterial conjunctivitis. School exclusions apply...
Amoebiasis is caused by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica. Most infections are asymptomatic, but can cause intestinal or extra-intestinal disease...
Anthrax must be notified immediately in Victoria. It is an acute bacterial disease that usually affects the skin...
In Victoria, ascariasis, or roundworm infection, is not notifiable, but school exclusions may apply depending on the patient’s symptoms...
Avian influenza (AI), commonly called bird flu, is an infectious viral disease of birds. Most AI viruses do not infect humans, but some strains can...
Barmah Forest virus (BFV) disease is notifiable. In Victoria, the number of notified cases per year varies largely depends on the conditions...
Botulism must be notified immediately in Victoria. Foodborne botulism – the most common form of botulism – is severe and often fatal...
Brucellosis has been eradicated from Australian cattle herds, but it still present in feral pigs in northern Australia and is a risk to those who hunt or butcher wild pigs.
In Victoria, Campylobacter infection must be notified. The infection may be subclinical or cause disease of variable severity...
Candida auris (C. auris) is an urgent notifiable condition. It is an uncommon fungus that can cause serious infections such as bloodstream and wound infections, particularly in those who are immunocompromised.
Chickenpox and shingles are contagious diseases that must be notified within 5 days of diagnosis, and can be controlled by vaccination...
Chikungunya virus infection is notifiable in Victoria. The virus has not been detected in Australia; all presenting cases have been infected overseas...
In Victoria, chlamydia is notifiable. Medical practitioners must also notify Child Protection Service if a child needs protection due to sexual abuse...
Chlamydophila pneumoniae is emerging as a frequent cause of both upper and lower respiratory tract infections, including bronchitis and pneumonia...
In Victoria, cholera must be notified immediately. It is also subject to Australian quarantine...
C. difficile–associated diarrhoea often presents as colitis during or following antibiotic use. Not all infected people will develop symptoms...
COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019)
Current information on COVID-19...
Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) must be notified in Victoria. Both classical and variant CJD are transmissible spongiform encephalopathies...
In Australia, croup mainly affects young children. Bronchiolitis predominantly affects children in the first year of life...
Cryptococcus is a fungus that is found in soil and is usually associated with bird droppings. It is found all over the world...
Cryptosporidiosis is a parasitic infection that commonly presents as gastroenteritis. In Victoria, it is notifiable. School exclusions also apply...
Primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may cause a mononucleosis-type syndrome. CMV is an important cause of congenital viral infections in Australia...
Dengue virus infection is notifiable in Victoria. There are two forms – dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever, the latter of which is severe...
Diphtheria must be notified immediately in Victoria. Exclusion periods apply to both cases and contacts. It is vaccine preventable...
Donovanosis is notifiable in Victoria. Medical practitioners must also notify Child Protection if they believe a child is being sexually abused...
Erythema infectiosum, or slapped check disease, is a mild disease that is common in children. Outbreaks are in the winter and spring...
Two or more related cases of food- or water-borne illness must be notified. The illness can be caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites...
In Victoria, giardiasis is not notifiable, but school and childcare exclusions still apply. Children are affected more often than adults...
In Victoria, gonorrhoea is a notifiable disease. Medical practitioners must notify Child Protection if they believe that a child is in need of protection on the basis of sexual abuse...
Haemophilus influenzae type b infections must be notified immediately in Victoria. Childhood immunisation is the most important preventive measure...
In Victoria, hand, foot and mouth disease is not notifiable, but school and childcare exclusions do apply. Outbreaks are common among groups of children...
In Australia, when Hendra virus is suspected in a horse, an inspector from the livestock health and pest authority or department of primary industries must be notified...
Hepatitis A must be notified immediately in Victoria. Outbreaks in Victoria have been associated with shellfish, lettuce, strawberries and blueberries...
Hepatitis B infections must be notified in Victoria. The hepatitis B vaccine is a part of the Australian childhood immunisation program...
Hepatitis C infection must be notified. Specific information is required to be notified under the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2009...
Hepatitis D must be notified in Victoria. Vaccination against hepatitis B prevents hepatitis D virus infection...
In Victoria, hepatitis E is a notifiable condition. It is not endemic in Australia, and most cases occur in travellers...
Herpes simplex virus infections manifest as cold sores (on the face) and genital herpes (in the genital area)...
HIV is notifiable in Victoria (AIDS is not notifiable). Same-sex contact is the major risk factor for men. In women, it is heterosexual contact and injecting drug use...
Hydatid disease (echinococcosis) occurs worldwide and is mainly associated with sheep farming. It can also be acquired from dogs and dingoes in Australia...
Impetigo is a rapidly spreading, highly contagious skin infection that frequently occurs in children’s settings. School and childcare exclusions do apply...
Infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever)
Infectious mononucleosis is an acute viral infection that mainly affects young adults. Basic hygiene is the only recommended prevention method...
Influenza is a notifiable disease. Residential care, healthcare and childcare facilities are all at higher risk of influenza outbreaks...
Invasive group A streptococcal disease (iGAS)
Invasive group A streptococcal disease (iGAS) is a notifiable disease. iGAS is a severe, invasive disease caused by infection with Streptococcus pyogenes bacterium, also known as Group A Streptococcus.
Invasive pneumococcal disease is notifiable. S. pneumoniae is a common cause of bacterial meningitis, septicaemia and pneumonia...
Japanese encephalitis must be notified immediately in Victoria. Most infections are asymptomatic. The virus is present in the Torres Strait islands...
In Victoria, legionellosis must be notified immediately. Outbreaks in Australia are generally associated with manufactured water systems...
Leprosy is a notifiable disease in Victoria. Some exclusions apply to leprosy cases. Leprosy is rare in Australia, but is occasionally detected...
Leptospirosis is notifiable in Victoria. Animal hosts include rats, cows and pigs. Farmers, and farm and meat industry workers are commonly affected...
Listeriosis must be notified in Victoria, and laboratories must notify Listeria monocytogenes isolated from food or water...
Malaria is a notifiable disease in Australia. Malaria is not endemic in Australia, but northern parts of Australia are at risk...
Measles must be notified immediately in Victoria. Measles is vaccine-preventable, as part of the MMR (measles–mumps–rubella) vaccine...
Melioidosis is endemic in northern Australia. In parts of the Northern Territory, it is a common cause of community-acquired bacteraemic pneumonia...
Meningococcal disease must be notified immediately in Victoria. Vaccines are available for some meningococcus serogroups...
Molluscum contagiosum is a viral disease of the skin. It is transmitted by direct contact, fomites or sexual contact...
Mpox is a rare disease that is caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. It is an urgent notifiable condition (from 1 July 2022), in accordance with Victorian statutory requirements.
Mumps must be notified within 5 days of diagnosis. School exclusions apply...
Murray Valley encephalitis must be notified immediately in Victoria. It may present as non-encephalitic, encephalitic or asymptomatic disease...
Lung infections caused by atypical Mycobacterium spp. are not notifiable, and mainly cause infections in immunocompromised people...
Tuberculosis is usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and is notifiable. School exclusions apply. An outbreak in Australia is not likely...
Mycobacterium ulcerans infection (Buruli ulcer)
Mycobacterium ulcerans infection must be notified in Victoria. The exact mode of transmission is unknown...
Nipah virus infection is a newly emerging zoonosis – first detected in 1998 – that does not have to be notified, but new cases should be reported...
Head lice is very common in children. The prevalence of head lice on Australian primary–school aged children could be 60 per cent in some areas...
In Australia, pertussis is becoming more common. Confirmed pertussis (or whooping cough) must be notified within five days of diagnosis...
The pinworm is the most common helminth parasite of temperate regions. These infections are found worldwide and affect all socioeconomic groups...
Plague must be notified immediately in Victoria and is subject to quarantine. Y. pestis, the infectious bacterium, is not endemic in Australia...
In Victoria, poliomyelitis must be notified immediately. School exclusions apply. Vaccination is the best way to prevent and eradicate poliomyelitis...
Psittacosis is notifiable in Victoria. C. psittaci is highly infectious, and people can become infected after close contact with infected birds...
Q fever is a notifiable disease in Victoria. Q fever is an occupational hazard for workers who work closely with animals...
Rabies and Australian bat lyssavirus are both notifiable in Victoria. Rabies is quarantinable in Australia, and cases must be reported to WHO...
Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD)
Notification is required in Victoria. Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) can occur as a complication of infection with the Group A Streptococcus (GAS) bacterium.
There are several important rickettsial diseases in Australia. There is no vaccine, so people must protect themselves with pesticides and repellents...
Ringworm, or tinea, is not notifiable in Victoria, but does have exclusion periods. All ages are susceptible to ringworm infections...
Ross River virus (RRV) infection is notifiable in Victoria. RRV is Australia’s most common and widespread arboviral disease...
Rotavirus is notifiable in Victoria, but exclusions do apply. An outbreak is two or more related cases...
Rubella is a notifiable disease. Rubella is not common in Australia, due to widespread vaccination with the measles–mumps–rubella (MMR) vaccine...
Salmonellosis is a notifiable disease in Victoria, and school exclusions apply. Victoria has about 2,000 cases of salmonellosis reported each year...
Scabies is a highly contagious parasitic skin infestation. (Norwegian) scabies is a particularly virulent infestation...
SARS must be notified immediately in Victoria. Health authorities are vigilant in SARS surveillance, to quickly detect another outbreak...
In Victoria, shigellosis is a notifiable disease, and school exclusions apply. The infectious dose is low, and may be as few as 10 organisms...
Smallpox must be notified immediately in Victoria. Smallpox is a severe, prostrating illness characterised by fever and a rash...
Staphylococcal infection is usually mild, but methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is of growing concern in hospitals and the community...
Group A streptococci (GAS) causes a variety of infections, from throat and skin infections, to fevers and severe invasive diseases...
Syphilis – a complex disease with many sequelae – is notifiable in Victoria. Child Protection must be notified if a child could be sexually abused...
Both pork (Taenia solium) and beef (T. saginata) tapeworm can cause intestinal infections in people...
Tetanus is a potentially fatal disease that must be notified in Victoria. Tetanus toxoid is part of the Australian childhood immunisation schedule...
Toxoplasma gondii – a protozoan – occurs worldwide in mammals and birds. The main host in Australia is the domestic cat...
Typhoid and paratyphoid must be notified immediately in Victoria. Most cases are in returned travellers, especially from southern Asia...
In Victoria, haemolytic uraemic syndrome must be notified immediately. VTEC and STEC must also be notified...
In Victoria, viral gastroenteritis (not rotavirus) cases should be excluded. Norovirus is the major cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis outbreaks...
In Victoria, viral haemorrhagic fevers – in particular, Crimean-Congo, Ebola, Lassa and Marburg – are of concern and must be notified immediately...
West Nile and Kunjin virus infection are notifiable diseases in Victoria. Kunjin virus is found in parts of Australia, but West Nile virus is not...
In Victoria, yellow fever must be notified immediately and is subject to Australian quarantine. The World Health Organization must also be notified.
Zika virus infection must be notified by medical practitioners and pathology services in writing within 5 days of diagnosis.
Reviewed 01 July 2024