About surveillance case definitions
The Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) develops surveillance case definitions for every nationally notifiable disease, and reviews existing ones if needed.
State and territory health departments use these definitions to decide whether to report a case to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS).
Process
Working group
The CDNA creates a small working group of experts to develop or revise the case definition. The working group then:
- writes a draft (for a new definition) or identifies what changes are needed (for a revision)
- ensures the new definition or changes are in line with the laboratory case definition or outlines any differences
- consults with the CDNA’s Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN) representative or the custodian of the laboratory case definition
- considers other guidance and research, including the relevant CDNA national guidelines (if any) and international case definitions
- prepares a paper for the CDNA, including proposed changes, explanation and evidence.
If the working group can’t reach a final consensus and endorsement, they will prepare a paper for CDNA summarising the issues and options. The PHLN representative will assess whether the PHLN needs to consider these options before they go to the CDNA.
PHLN consideration and endorsement
The PHLN will consider the case definition, with a 2-week consultation period.
The PHLN will:
- consult with relevant stakeholders
- inform the working group whether to send the case definition to other groups for information, once final.
The PHLN then takes one of the following actions:
- Provides feedback for the working group to address.
- Endorses the case definition.
The working group then sends the revised or proposed new case definition to the CDNA.
CDNA consideration and endorsement
The CDNA will consider the working group’s paper. The CDNA then takes one of the following actions:
- Endorses the case definition.
- Makes minor changes.
- Does not endorse, and refers the case definition back to the working group.
Once the CDNA endorses the case definition, we will publish it in Communicable Diseases Intelligence and in our collection of surveillance case definitions.
It then becomes effective from a specific date.
Role of the states and territories
State and territory central disease control units introduce the revised or new case definitions in their jurisdictions.
If a state or territory changes the content of a case definition, or the date it becomes effective at a jurisdictional level, they must let us know. This ensures we can correctly interpret national data.
Read final case definitions
We have grouped the case definitions into a collection.
CDNA surveillance case definitions
Contact
Contact the CDNA secretariat with any questions about this process.
