Dengue fever

Statutory notification

• Dengue fever 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 209KB) or regional residents (PDF 208KB).
• 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: Dengue fever virus: four closely related viruses dengue 1-4.
• Transmission: mosquito-borne.
• Incubation period: 4 to 7 days.
• Infectious period: No evidence of direct person to person transmission.
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude, but cases should avoid being bitten by mosquitos while symptomatic to reduce the chance of spreading the infection.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: No specific anti-viral treatment. Symptomatic treatment only.
• Immunisation: None available.
• Case follow-up: is conducted by public health units (Healthy WA) and Department of Health environmental health officers.

Guidelines

• Dengue, CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units (external site)

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• General infectious disease reports