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STD Surveillance system

Notification information for clinicians

Contact tracing statistics for Clinic 275, 2009

Notifiable sexually transmitted diseases

In South Australia, seven STDs are notifiable — gonorrhoea, syphilis, genital chlamydial infection, donovanosis, hepatitis B, HIV, and AIDS.  Cases of these diseases must be confidentially notified to STD Services, Royal Adelaide Hospital.  Hepatitis C, whilst not a sexually transmissible infection, is also notifiable to STD Services.

South Australia has a dual notification system—medical and laboratory. 
The purposes are to:

• allow epidemiological analysis for treatment and prevention activities

• facilitate partner notification, which reduces the spread of disease in the community.

The Public & Environmental Health Act (1987) as amended, provides a general legal framework for the collection of Notifiable Disease data and facilitates notification of the above infections by:

• Placing a duty upon doctors and laboratories to forward relevant data on cases of these Notifiable Diseases, as designated in Section 30 of the Act, to STD Services as a designated authority for the South Australian Health Commission (SAHC).

• Absolving the reporting doctor and laboratory from any legal liability concerning consent to release that information. Thus consent does not arise as an issue with regard to notifications made in good faith. 
  It is wise to inform the patient that their case will be notified and that they may be contacted during further investigation.

• Preventing release by the SAHC (or designated authorities) of data. Notification data containing personal details can only be secured by court order.

The format of reports, quantity and nature of data required are determined by the appropriate SAHC collection authority.

Medical notification : gonorrhoea,  syphilis,  genital chlamydial infection,  hepatitis B,  hepatitis C,  HIV,  AIDS and donovanosis

There is a legal requirement for medical practitioners to notify all cases of these infections in South Australia. Notification can be made by  form or telephone: (08) 8222 2526.

All enquiries should be directed to:

STD Surveillance Unit
STD Services
275 North Terrace
Adelaide SA 5000

Contact Tracing : genital chlamydial infection

For STD contact tracing other than Chlamydia, medical practitioners can indicate on notification forms whether they wish STD Services to undertake contact tracing or whether they prefer to investigate the case themselves.

Medical notification forms.

A national publication, the Australasian Contact Tracing Manual  reflects best practice for contact tracing in Australasia is available from the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM). The major target groups for this manual are primary carers - general practitioners, community and public health nurses, Aboriginal health workers, sexual health, hepatitis and HIV service staff. The manual covers all sexually transmissible infections, viral hepatitis, HIV and  HIV-related tuberculosis.

Laboratory notification

There is a legal requirement for laboratories to notify positive laboratory tests for gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia, hepatitis C, hepatitis B surface antigen, HIV and donovanosis. STD Services is notified of the patient's name, and the doctor's name and telephone number. The purpose is to monitor infection rates, as well as medical notifications, and to contact the medical practitioner when such notification is not forthcoming.

The objectives of notification cannot be achieved by laboratory notification alone.

Notification of gonorrhoea, syphilis and chlamydia

The purpose of notification is twofold

• to enable epidemiologic analysis for control activities and

• to facilitate contact tracing, which reduces spread of disease in the community and probability of reinfection in the treated patient. Clinicians indicate on notification forms whether they wish STD Services to undertake contact tracing or whether they would prefer to investigate the case themselves.

Notification of HIV infection

Purpose of HIV notification:

• to enable surveillance of HIV infection in SA

• to facilitate contact tracing/partner notification. Medical Officers notifying the infection can either initiate the contact tracing and send relevant information to the HIV epidemiologist or, after consultation with the client, request the HIV epidemiologist to investigate the case.

Notification of hepatitis B infection

Purpose of HBV notification:

• to define HBV infection (both acute cases and chronic carriers) in South Australia for epidemiologic analysis

• to follow up individuals with acute infection.

Notification of hepatitis C infection

Purpose of HCV notification:

• to define HCV infection in South Australia for epidemiologic analysis and

• to follow up individuals with recently acquired infection and those whose risk factor is unknown.

Medical notification forms.

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