What we do
The Communicable Disease Control Team works to prevent spread of disease in our community through early detection, surveillance, investigation and control of diseases that are transmitted from person-to-person or contracted from animals (zoonotic diseases), insects (vector-borne diseases) or the environment.
We monitor and respond to notifiable conditions reported to Queensland Health under the Public Health Act 2005,including:
- Vaccine preventable diseases such as meningococcal disease, measles, polio and whooping cough
- Other communicable diseases such as legionellosis, typhoid and hepatitis A
- Mosquito-borne diseases such as Japanese encephalitis, dengue fever and Zika virus
- Diseases transmitted to humans from animals including Q Fever, leptospirosis and Hendra virus
- Potential exposures to Australian bat lyssavirus and rabies
- Food and water borne disease outbreaks, such as salmonellosis, norovirus and cryptosporidiosis
- Provide outbreak management advice and support to residential aged and disability care facilities e.g. influenza, COVID-19 and gastroenteritis
- Provide expert advice to health professionals, governments, industry and community
- Develop, implement and partner with others on projects and research to prevent and control communicable diseases
- Human quarantine at Brisbane International Airport and Port of Brisbane
- Joint program with local government and other agencies on mosquito control and mosquito borne diseases.’
Putting the brakes on gastro outbreaks in childcare
Public Health Physician Dr James Smith, from Metro North Public Health Unit, provides information for parents and carers of children who attend early childcare centres about why exclusion rules apply when there is a gastroenteritis outbreak.
Resources
| Sub category | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Resources for Aged Care Facilities | Disease prevention in residential care facilities | Queensland Health |
| Resources for Child care Facilities | Disease prevention in education and care services | Queensland Health |
| Resources for Child care Facilities | Acute gastroenteritis | Queensland Health |
| Resources for Child care Facilities | QG Gastroenteritis | Queensland Health |
| Resources for Child care Facilities | Influenza in education and care services | Queensland Health |
| General Resources | Australian Bat Lyssavirus | Metro North PHU |
| General Resources | Diseases and infection prevention | Queensland Health |
| General Resources | COVID-19 in Queensland | Queensland Health |
| General Resources | Communicable disease control guidance – A-Z list | Queensland Health |
| General Resources | CDNA Series of National Guidelines | Queensland Health |
| General Resources | Q fever register | Qfever |
| Resources for Child care Facilities | Early Childhood Education and Care | Department of Education |
| Resources for Child care Facilities | Staying healthy: preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services | NHMRC |
| Resources for Child care Facilities | Timeout poster | Queensland Health |
| Resources for Child care Facilities | Viral or suspected viral gastroenteritis outbreaks | Queensland Health |
| Resources for Aged Care Facilities | Clean up for gastroenteritis outbreak prevention | Queensland Health |
| Resources for Aged Care Facilities | Disease prevention in residential care facilities | Queensland Health |
| Resources for Aged Care Facilities | Influenza in residential care facilities | Queensland Health |
| Resources for Aged Care Facilities | Recognising potential influenza and COVID-19 outbreaksUpdated 17 June 2020This quick reference guide outlines the clinical criteria to recognise influenza-like-illness (ILI) and acute respiratory infection (ARI). The guide also includes the definitions for potential and confirmed influenza and COVID-19 outbreaks. Early recognition of ILI and ARI ensures a rapid and effective outbreak response. | Public Health Unit |
| Resources for Aged Care Facilities | Influenza and COVID-19: Planning and preparedness for residential aged care facilitiesThis presentation provides information, resources and web links to guide facilities with planning and preparing for influenza and COVID-19 outbreaks. Further information is available when viewed in Notes Page. | Public Health Unit |
| Resources for Aged Care Facilities | Influenza outbreak management plan (template)Updated 17 June 2020 This template is a compilation of checklists, forms and templates to assist residential aged care facilities to plan their response to an outbreak of influenza or influenza-like illness, including a novel respiratory disease of international or national public health concern. The template is a guide only. It is not prescriptive or exhaustive and should be modified and expanded to reflect the outcomes of your planning. This template can also be used to update your current influenza outbreak management plan. | Public Health Unit |
| Resources for Aged Care Facilities | Influenza outbreak planning guideThis document is a resource which provides links to influenza resources and outlines objectives, strategies and tactics to assist your facility to complete an Influenza Outbreak Management Plan. It can also be used as a check list if desired. | Public Health Unit |
| Resources for Aged Care Facilities | Influenza vaccination registers for staff and residents (templates) Vaccination coverage is a key performance indicator for your infection control program. Maintaining separate electronic registers for annual staff and resident influenza vaccinations is recommended. These templates automatically generate the percentage of staff and residents who have been vaccinated or who have declined. For vaccination date column, enter date or ‘unknown’ (i.e. for staff vaccinated externally and have yet to provide evidence). For declined vaccination column, enter ‘yes’ or ’Y’. | Public Health Unit |
| Resources for Aged Care Facilities | Influenza vaccination declination form (template)A vaccination declination form may be useful to use during confidential discussions with staff who choose to decline influenza vaccination. Benefits of using declination forms may include assisting staff to make an active choice about whether or not to be vaccinated and also identifying areas within your facility where targeted education may be required to approach universal acceptance of influenza vaccination. The template can be amended, should you choose to adapt it, according to the needs of your facility. | Public Health Unit |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Roles and responsibilities–stakeholders template | Public Health Unit |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Outbreak notification process template | Public Health Unit |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Contact details–stakeholders template | Public Health Unit |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Droplet and Contact Precautions sign | Public Health Unit |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Attention visitors sign | Communicable Diseases Network of Australia (CDNA) |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Hand rub sign | Hand Hygiene Australia (HHA) |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Hand wash sign | Hand Hygiene Australia (HHA) |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Steps to successful hand washing | Queensland Health |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Five things to do to fight the flu | Queensland Health |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Cover your cough and sneeze - poster | Health Victoria |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Antiviral dosages | Communicable Diseases Network of Australia (CDNA) |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Patient information on Tamiflu® (oseltamivir) | Communicable Diseases Network of Australia (CDNA) |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Novel respiratory disease of public health concern templateUpdated 14 May 2020 | Public Health Unit |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Novel respiratory disease of public health concern–Coronavirus disease 2019Updated 14 May 2020 | Public Health Unit |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Airborne and Contact Precautions sign | Public Health Unit |
| Appendices to support the Influenza Outbreak Management Plan | Principles of fit checking P2/N95 masks | NSW Infection Control Resource Centre |