About communicable diseases
A communicable – or infectious – disease is an illness caused by a microorganism, such as a bacteria or virus, that can spread from one person to another.
Diseases that spread from animals to people and from people to animals are called zoonotic diseases.
Communicable diseases spread in different ways. Common ways are through contact with microorganisms through:
- food or water
- blood or other body fluids
- insect bites
- air.
Impact
Some communicable diseases are of concern because they can spread and cause serious illness.
Communicable diseases can cause hospitalisation, disability, chronic disease and death, and have major social and economic impacts.
Role of the CDC
Our role includes:
- monitoring, reporting and advising on nationally notifiable diseases
- understanding communicable disease trends and outbreaks across Australia
- developing national policy, strategies and guidelines, such as the Series of National Guidelines
- working with key committees and networks, to reduce incidence of disease and respond to outbreaks, including the
- educating people with the facts on antimicrobial resistance
- issuing health alerts to warn about disease outbreaks of concern within Australia
- contributing to a national response to outbreak incidents of national concern.
Related topics
Read more about:
Date last updated: