Salmonella infection
Fact sheet2 - Health conditions directory.
Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) is a type of gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella bacteria. In Australia, most Salmonella infections occur after eating contaminated food but also sometimes after contact with another person with the infection. Over 2000 cases of Salmonella infection are reported in Queensland each year. There are about 2,500 different strains of Salmonella, many of which cause infection in both animals and humans. Two strains, Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi, cause typhoid and paratyphoid fever respectively (see separate typhoid and paratyphoid fever fact sheet).
Public health management guidelines
- Read Queensland Health guidelines for public health units3
- Read Queensland Health Illness Outbreak Management Guidelines4 (PDF, 1MB)
Notification
Pathology laboratories
Attending medical practitioners/medical superintendents (or delegates)
To notify two or more associated cases of gastroenteritis, or where gastroenteritis is diagnosed in a food handler.
Institutions (residential care facilities, hospitals, child care centres)
Notification resources
- List of all Pathological, clinical and provisional diagnosis notifiable conditions8
- List of Public Health Unit contacts9
- Notifiable conditions report form for Queensland doctors/clinicians (PHA S70) or person in charge of a Hospital (PHA S71)10 (PDF, 77kB) - if faxing notification, follow up by phone.
Enhanced surveillance for public health units
- Child / Adult - Case Questionnaire11 - used by public health units to collect detailed information for case investigations.
- Infant (<1 year) - Case Questionnaire12 - used by public health units to collect detailed information for case investigations.
Resources for health professionals
- Foodborne disease in Queensland13 - information about OzFoodNet and foodborne disease in Queensland for health professionals.