Abstract
Salmonella is the most common bacterial cause of
gastrointestinal disease notifiable in New South Wales.
The objectives for Salmonella surveillance as listed in
the NSW Notifiable Diseases Manual are: to identify the
source of infection and to prevent further cases; and to
monitor the epidemiology to inform the development of
better prevention strategies. This article reviews the
process of Salmonella surveillance in NSW. The system
is described and an evaluation of selected attributes
including system simplicity, data completeness and
timeliness of notification is presented.
This study was conducted as part of a review of foodborne
disease surveillance in NSW for the period 1998–2000
by members of OzFoodNet based at the Hunter Public
Health Unit. OzFoodNet is a national network established
by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing
in 2000 to enhance foodborne disease surveillance in
Australia.
