Dengue fever

Statutory notification

• Dengue fever is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• See notifiable communicable disease case definitions (Word 1.29MB).
• Notifications should be made using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 209KB) or regional residents (PDF 208KB).
• For notification of regional residents see contact details of public health units.
• See also description of statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health management

Important information

• Infectious agent: Dengue fever virus: four closely related viruses dengue 1-4.
• Transmission: mosquito-borne.
• Incubation period: 4 to 7 days.
• Infectious period: No evidence of direct person to person transmission.
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude, but cases should avoid being bitten by mosquitos while symptomatic to reduce the chance of spreading the infection.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: No specific anti-viral treatment. Symptomatic treatment only.
• Immunisation: : A dengue vaccine is available but not routinely used. Dengvaxia is available for the prevention of secondary dengue infections (not primary prevention of initial dengue infection) in select individuals. See Clinical advice: ATAGI statement on use of Dengvaxia for Australians (external site).
• Case follow-up: is conducted by public health units (Healthy WA) and Department of Health environmental health officers.

Guidelines

• Dengue, CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units (external site)

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• General infectious disease reports