Infectious conditions

Infectious diseases are those that are caused by bacteria, viruses or other microorganisms, and include diseases like hepatitis, meningococcal disease, pneumonia and sexually transmitted infections. Various vaccinations are recommended for babies and children, adolescents and adults. Free childhood vaccination programs in Western Australia (WA) help to reduce both the level of these infections and deaths that can result from vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccines continue to be developed and made available for more and more diseases [1][2].

Nearly all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in Western Australia (WA) have had all their recommended immunisations by the time they’re five years old [2]. This means they are protected against infectious conditions like measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and polio.

Some infectious diseases tend to be more common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and adults than non-Indigenous people in WA [2]. These include hepatitis B and hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia and gonorrhoea.