Communicable diseases

Communicable diseases are infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and prions.¹ The key difference is that communicable diseases can be transmitted from one person or animal to another, or by contact with a contaminated environment. They can cause significant morbidity and mortality, particularly affecting vulnerable groups such as the very young, the very old, and people with underlying health conditions. They can cause short term (acute) or long term (chronic) health conditions, or both.

Nationally, in 2024, infectious diseases caused 152,074 healthy years of life lost with an age-standardised rate (ASR or standardised rate) of 4.6 per 1,000 persons, with expenditure in 2022–23 of 12.625 billion.²

Communicable diseases of public health significance are notifiable by law in Queensland and in other jurisdictions. There are over 120 notifiable conditions in Queensland.³

COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and mpox are examples of viral communicable diseases while syphilis, acute rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, and tuberculosis are bacterial communicable diseases.

Additional information

Data and statistics

• Communicable disease Notifiable conditions reports are updated weekly and available on the Queensland Health website.

Strategies and information

More information about communicable diseases and how they are controlled is available from the Queensland Health Communicable disease control and guidance website.

Section technical notes

• Notifications under-represent the incidence of communicable diseases because notifications depend on:
  • individuals presenting with the disease
  • having the appropriate tests undertaken to confirm a diagnosis
  • results being reported to Queensland Health.

• Laboratories, the source of most notifications, may not record First Nations status causing under-reporting among First Nations peoples.