Infectious Diseases

The Infectious Diseases team provides information and advice to health professionals and the community. We work with general practitioners (GPs), other community-based health care providers, hospital clinicians, childcare and aged care facilities and members of the public to assist in the prevention and control of diseases that may pose a public health risk. We investigate outbreaks and single cases of high-priority infectious disease.

We are notified when a laboratory or doctor has evidence that a person has, or may have, one of the diseases listed in the Public Health Act 2010. These diseases include conditions that may pose a public health risk and include common conditions such as whooping cough and influenza, as well as those that are less common such as typhoid or measles. We may also provide advice on how to limit the spread of disease not notifiable under the Public Health Act such as chickenpox (varicella) and gastroenteritis. 

For more information about infectious diseases, visit:

• NSW Health Infectious Diseases (including A-Z infectious disease factsheets, alerts, surveillance reports)
• NSW Sexual Health Infolink
• Multilingual resources
• Staying Healthy in Childcare Handbook
• Mothersafe - a counselling service for women and their healthcare providers concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Such exposures may include infections but also prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, street drugs.

Contact the Public Health Unit

To contact the Infectious Diseases team email us or phone  (02) 9382 8333 or 1300 066 055 during business hours. For disease notification after hours, phone (02) 9382 2222 and ask for the Public Health Officer on call.