Salmonella infection

Statutory notification

• Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• Case definition: See Salmonellosis (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: Non-typhoidal Salmonella bacteria.
• Transmission: Faecal-oral, food-borne, water-borne and animal-person.
• Incubation period: 6 hr to 7 days (usually 1 to 3 days).
• Infectious period: Most infectious while symptomatic and low risk post recovery. Use contact transmission- based precautions for hospitalised and institutionalised patients.
• Case exclusion: Exclude until asymptomatic, including normal stools, for 24 hours. If patient works in health care, aged care or child-care is a food handler or attends child-care exclude until asymptomatic, including normal stools, for 48 hours. See Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB).
• Contact exclusion: See Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB).
• Treatment: Oral rehydration and as recommended by the doctor.
• Immunisation: None available.
• Case follow-up: Generally only clusters or outbreaks are investigated by the Communicable Disease Control Directorate (OzFoodNet), with assistance from local public health units.

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 (PDF 764KB) 
• Guidelines for the prevention and management of gastroenteritis outbreaks in residential care facilities (PDF 2.74MB)
• 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