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STD Surveillance
system
Notification
information for clinicians
Contact
tracing statistics for Clinic 275, 2006
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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.
Further information about disease notification in South
Australia can be found on the South Australian Department
of Health website.
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
Medical practitioners 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
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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
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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:
Notification of hepatitis C infection
Purpose of HCV notification:
Medical notification forms.
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