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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 19(2)

Enteric disease outbreak reporting, New South Wales, Australia, 2000 to 2005

Michelle Cretikos A C , Barbara Telfer B and Jeremy McAnulty B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A NSW Public Health Officer Training Program, NSW Department of Health

B Communicable Diseases Branch, NSW Department of Health

C Corresponding author: Email: mcret@doh.health.nsw.gov.au.

NSW Public Health Bulletin 19(2) 3-7 https://doi.org/10.1071/NB07078
Published: 28 February 2008

Abstract

Objective: To review enteric disease outbreaks reported to the NSW Department of Health. Methods: Data from existing electronic enteric disease outbreak summary databases were used to describe the number and type of outbreaks reported, burden of illness and cause of the outbreaks. Results: Between 2000 and 2005, 998 enteric disease outbreaks were reported (148 foodborne and 850 non-foodborne), affecting 24 260 people and associated with 771 hospitalisations and 21 deaths. Salmonella was confirmed in 28 per cent of foodborne outbreaks, and norovirus in 18 per cent of non-foodborne outbreaks. Conclusions: Enteric disease outbreaks cause a substantial burden of disease in NSW.


Acknowledgements

Thanks to Jennie Musto for reviewing earlier versions of this document and providing valuable feedback. Thanks also to all the public health unit staff who provided outbreak summary reports during the period of the evaluation.


References


[1] NSW Department of Health Year in Review: Communicable Disease Surveillance, 2004. N S W Public Health Bull 2005; 16 77–87.
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[2] OzFoodNet Working Group Reported foodborne illness and gastroenteritis in Australia: Annual report of the OzFoodNet network, 2004. Commun Dis Intell 2005; 29 165–85.
| PubMed |

[3] Hall G. OzFoodNet Working Group. Results of the national gastroenteritis survey 2001–2: working paper series no. 50. Canberra: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, 2004.

[4] Hall G, Kirk MD. OzFoodNet Working Group. Foodborne illness in Australia: Annual incidence circa 2000. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2005.

[5] Department of Health SA. Guidelines for the management of infectious gastroenteritis in aged care facilities in South Australia. Adelaide: Communicable Disease Control Branch, 2005.