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Diphtheria
Diphtheria
Statutory notification alert
Diphtheria is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
Alert:
cases must be reported urgently by telephone to the
public health units (Healthy WA)
within a few hours of first suspicion of diagnosis.
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:
Toxic forms of
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
and Corynebacterium ulcerans
.
Transmission:
Normally spread from person to person in airborne droplets after an infected person has coughed or sneezed. May also be spread through direct contact with skin lesions or soiled articles.
Incubation period:
Usually 2 to 5 days.
Infectious period:
Until virulent bacteria have disappeared from discharges and lesions, up to four weeks after onset of symptoms.
Case exclusion:
Excluded until non infectious.
Contact exclusion:
Do not exclude. Contact management will be coordinated by public health unit staff.
Treatment:
Antibiotic and antitoxin treatment as recommended by the doctor.
Immunisation:
Recommended that children be vaccinated according to the
Western Australian Immunisation Schedule
. All adults who reach the age of 50 years should receive a vaccine booster dose if they have not received one in the previous ten years. See
Australian Immunisation Handbook, Department of Health – Diphtheria (external site)
.
Case follow-up:
Is conducted by
public health units (Healthy WA)
and the Communicable Disease Control Directorate.
Guidelines
Western Australian Immunisation Schedule
Australian Immunisation Handbook, Department of Health – Diphtheria (external site)
Notifiable disease data and reports
Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
General infectious disease reports
Produced by
Public Health
Related links
Diphtheria (Healthy WA)