Brucellosis

Statutory notifications

• Brucellosis is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• See notifiable communicable disease case definitions (Word 1.29MB).
• Notifications should be made using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 214KB) or regional residents (PDF 213KB).
• For notification of regional residents see contact details of public health units.
• See also description of Statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health management

Important information

• Infectious agent: Brucella abortis, biovars 1 to 6 and 9; B. melitensis biovars 1 to 3; B. suis biovars 1 to 5; B. canis.
• Transmission:  Contact through breaks in the skin with animal tissues, blood, urine, vaginal discharges, aborted foetuses and ingestion of unpasteurised dairy products from infected animals. Air borne infection can occur in laboratories and abattoirs. Has been eradicated from Australian domestic animals.
• Incubation period: Usually 1 to 2 months (range 5 to 60 days).
• Infectious period: No evidence of person to person transmission.
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: Antibiotic treatment as recommended by the doctor.
• Immunisation:  None available.
• Case follow-up: Is conducted by Public Health Units and the Communicable Disease Control Directorate.

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• Infectious disease data resources