Legionella

Statutory notification

• Legionella infection is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• Alert: Legionella pneumophila 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.
• Notifications should be made using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 209KB) or regional residents (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: Most common species causing illness in Australia are Legionella pneumophila and L. longbeachae.
• Transmission: Airborne transmission by breathing in water droplets or air-borne liquid droplets that are contaminated by the bacteria.
• Incubation period: From 2-10 days.
• Infectious period: None. Person-to-person transmission has not been documented.
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: Antibiotic treatment as recommended by the doctor.
• Immunisation: None available.
• Case follow-up: Is conducted by public health units (Healthy WA), Local Government and Department of Health.

Guidelines

• Legionellosis national guidelines for public health units (external site)
• Environmental Health Guidance for Legionella control (external site)
• OP 2007/05 Testing of hospital mains water supply for Legionella (external site)

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
  
• General infectious disease reports