Listeriosis

Statutory notification

• Listeriosis is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• Alert: Cases must be reported urgently by telephone to the local public health unit within a few hours of first suspicion of diagnosis.
• Case definition: See Listeriosis (external site) national surveillance case definition.
• Notification: Notify 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 summary

• Infectious agent: Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
• Transmission: Nearly all cases of human listeriosis result from the consumption of L. monocytogenes contaminated food or vertical transmission during pregnancy.
• Incubation period: Up to 70 days (usually 2-3 weeks).
• Infectious period: Horizontal person-to-person transmission generally does not occur.
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: Antibiotic treatment as recommended by the doctor for invasive cases.
• Immunisation: None available.
• Case follow-up: Conducted by the Communicable Disease Control Directorate (OzFoodNet), with assistance from local public health units as required.

Guidelines for public health units

• Guideline for the Public health management of notifiable enteric diseases (PDF 387KB)
• Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts 
  
• Guidelines for the prevention and management of gastroenteritis outbreaks in residential care facilities
• Listeriosis – CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units (external site)
• Communicable Disease Guidelines, for teachers, child care workers, local government authorities and medical practitioners

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• General infectious disease reports