Anthrax

Statutory notification alert

• Anthrax is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• Alert: cases must be reported urgently by telephone to the Public Health Unit 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: Bacillus anthracis.
• Transmission: Mainly from contact with tissues, hides, wool, bone products of once infected animals, handling infected animals or eating contaminated undercooked meat.
• Incubation period: Usually 1 to 7 days but sometimes up to 60 days.
• Infectious period: Person to person transmission is rare.
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: Antibiotic treatment as recommended by the doctor.
• Immunisation: Available but not used routinely.
• 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