❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the incidence of Q fever in Western Australia between 2003 and 2011, with a specific focus on cases related to FIFO workers on Barrow Island. The response provides data on reported cases and acknowledges limitations in tracking the source of infection, deferring responsibility for worker safety and vaccination to employers and unions.
AnsweredQoN 3614Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the occurrence of Q fever in Western Australia, and to questions about Q fever put to the House by my colleague the Hon Giz Watson, on 20 August 2003, and I ask -
(1) How many cases of Q fever (Coxiella burnetii), were reported annually in Western Australia, between August 2003 and March 2011?
(2) How many of these cases are on the Australian Q fever register?
(3) Is there a record of where these cases of Q fever were contracted?
(4) If yes to (3), please supply details?
(5) If no to (3), why not?
(6) How many of these cases of Q fever were FIFO personnel working at Barrow Island?
(7) Have workers on Barrow Island been warned that they are at risk of contracting Q fever while stationed there?
(8) If yes to (7), how has this been done?
(9) If no to (7), why not?
(10) Have any workers on Barrow Island been offered a vaccination against Q fever?
(11) If yes to (10), please supply details.
(12) If no to (10), why not?
(1) How many cases of Q fever (Coxiella burnetii), were reported annually in Western Australia, between August 2003 and March 2011?
(2) How many of these cases are on the Australian Q fever register?
(3) Is there a record of where these cases of Q fever were contracted?
(4) If yes to (3), please supply details?
(5) If no to (3), why not?
(6) How many of these cases of Q fever were FIFO personnel working at Barrow Island?
(7) Have workers on Barrow Island been warned that they are at risk of contracting Q fever while stationed there?
(8) If yes to (7), how has this been done?
(9) If no to (7), why not?
(10) Have any workers on Barrow Island been offered a vaccination against Q fever?
(11) If yes to (10), please supply details.
(12) If no to (10), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 April 2011
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Health
Response time
28 days
(1) Number of notifications of Q fever annually in Western Australia in the requested period August 2003 to March 2011:
Aug-Dec 2003: 9
2004 (12 months): 9
2005 (12 months): 6
2006 (12 months): 5
2007 (12 months): 7
2008 (12 months): 6
2009 (12 months): 2
2010 (12 months): 8
Jan-Feb 2011: 1
(2) The Australian Q Fever Register was established by Meat and Livestock Australia as a voluntary register in which details of the immune screening status against Q fever and Q fever vaccination history of individuals could be recorded for occupational health reasons, with particular use for those with a mobile job history. Access to the personal details on this register is limited to the individuals whose records appear there and to employers and doctors who have been authorised by these individuals to see their records.
(3) The Western Australian Notifiable Diseases Database (WANIDD), maintained by the WA Department of Health, contains limited information on the occupation and possible source/location of exposure to Q fever infection for notified cases. Due to the length of the incubation period of Q fever (up to one month) and the variable mode of transmission (sometimes through direct contact with infected animals and animal products, but commonly through airborne spread of the organism in dust, sometimes from a source one kilometre or more away), it is often not possible to be certain where or how an individual may have acquired infection.
(4) Of the 53 cases notified in the period August 2003 to February 2011 inclusive, most cases were associated with broad occupational groupings, such as abattoir workers, farmers, shearers and those involved in livestock transport, and it is rarely possible to identify the specific place of exposure and infection, given the mobile work habits of these occupational groups and the characteristics of the organism (incubation period and mode of transmission) described in the answer to Question 3.
(5) See answers 3 and 4 above.
(6) One case.
(7 - 9) Unknown - this is a matter for employers and unions.
(10 - 12) Unknown - this is a matter for employers and individuals and their doctors.
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Aug-Dec 2003: 9
2004 (12 months): 9
2005 (12 months): 6
2006 (12 months): 5
2007 (12 months): 7
2008 (12 months): 6
2009 (12 months): 2
2010 (12 months): 8
Jan-Feb 2011: 1
(2) The Australian Q Fever Register was established by Meat and Livestock Australia as a voluntary register in which details of the immune screening status against Q fever and Q fever vaccination history of individuals could be recorded for occupational health reasons, with particular use for those with a mobile job history. Access to the personal details on this register is limited to the individuals whose records appear there and to employers and doctors who have been authorised by these individuals to see their records.
(3) The Western Australian Notifiable Diseases Database (WANIDD), maintained by the WA Department of Health, contains limited information on the occupation and possible source/location of exposure to Q fever infection for notified cases. Due to the length of the incubation period of Q fever (up to one month) and the variable mode of transmission (sometimes through direct contact with infected animals and animal products, but commonly through airborne spread of the organism in dust, sometimes from a source one kilometre or more away), it is often not possible to be certain where or how an individual may have acquired infection.
(4) Of the 53 cases notified in the period August 2003 to February 2011 inclusive, most cases were associated with broad occupational groupings, such as abattoir workers, farmers, shearers and those involved in livestock transport, and it is rarely possible to identify the specific place of exposure and infection, given the mobile work habits of these occupational groups and the characteristics of the organism (incubation period and mode of transmission) described in the answer to Question 3.
(5) See answers 3 and 4 above.
(6) One case.
(7 - 9) Unknown - this is a matter for employers and unions.
(10 - 12) Unknown - this is a matter for employers and individuals and their doctors.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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