National guidelines for the early clinical and public health management of meningococcal disease in Australia are for the early clinical and public health management of Meningococcal Disease in Australia.
These Guidelines assist:
- primary care practitioners with the emergency management of cases of suspected invasive meningococcal disease; and
- public health practitioners with the prevention of further cases after a case of invasive meningococcal disease has been reported.
National Guidelines
Be alert for Meningococcal Disease!
Informative meningococcal poster for general practicioners from the Federal Department of Health & Ageing, Communicable Diseases Australia, Be alert for Meningococcal Disease!
Communicable Disease Control
General Practitioners are encouraged to keep a high index of suspicion for people who may present with signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease.
Meningococcal infections may present as meningitis alone, septicaemia alone, or both.
Meningococcal septicaemia is characterised by fever, vomiting, headache, myalgia, abdominal pain, petechial or purpuric rash, tachycardia, hypotension and initially normal level of consciousness, followed rapidly by further hypotension and shock.
Meningococcal meningitis is usually characterised by a sudden onset with fever, intense headache, neck stiffness, nausea or vomiting, sometimes progressing to delirium or coma. However, some of the recent cases in the ACT have had atypical presentations and a prolonged onset with symptoms present for up to a week prior to the case presenting for treatment.
Meningococcal disease is a notifiable condition and must be reported to the Department.
Contact us
Phone (02) 6205 2155 (24 hours) or page 6269 0495 for further information on meningococcal disease, or to notify cases of meningococcal disease.
