About plague
Plague is a bacterial disease (Yersinia pestis) that spreads from rodents to humans via the bite of infected fleas. Outbreaks of plague are often linked to poverty, civil disturbances and war, when health infrastructure and facilities have broken down.
Disease type:
Listed human
Vaccination available under NIP:
No
Notifiable disease:
Yes
Case definitions
Prevention, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
For information about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, see the World Health Organization's plague page.
Surveillance and reporting
Plague is a nationally notifiable disease.
We monitor cases through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS).
For more on plague in Australia, you can search Communicable Diseases Intelligence.
Date last updated: