Case Glossary

A type of microorganism that is present in most habitats on the planet (including within plants and animals). Bacteria come in a range of shapes including spheres, rods and spirals and most are made up of a single cell without a nucleus. Bacterial plant pathogens cause diseases such as leaf spot, fire blight and wilts.

Contains genetic information for the development and function of all living organisms and many viruses. DNA stores biological information, is capable of making copies of itself and is usually in the form of a double stranded helical molecule.

The plural for fungus, fungi are microorganisms that can be a single cell or a collection of cells which form a fruiting body. Fungi reproduce via the production of spores which may be spread long distances by air, water, or on equipment or clothing or they may be soil borne. Fungi include yeasts, moulds and mushrooms.

Goods include:

1. An animal.

2. A plant.

3. Any other article, substance or thing (including, but not limited to, any kind of moveable property); and, to avoid doubt, includes mail of any kind and ballast water.

The department will assess the application and on the basis of that assessment may decide to grant an import permit subject to any conditions deemed necessary for safe importation, use and disposal of those products.

It should be noted that applying for an import permit does not automatically result in an import permit being issued. The Director of biosecurity or their delegate issues the import permit. You should ensure that an application is submitted for each product type and that the prescribed fee accompanies the import permit application.

Infectious agent includes any of the following:

1. a virus;

2. a prion;

3. a plasmid;

4. a viroid;

5. a thing that is a part of an infectious agent.

Examples: For the purposes of point 5, capsids, envelopes, enzymes, genetic material coding for an infectious agent, proteins.

Microorganism includes any of the following (whether naturally occurring or synthetically created):

1. a single-celled organism (whether an animal or plant);

2. a bacterium;

3. a protozoan;

4. a fungus;

5. a plant pathogen;

6. a thing that is a part of a microorganism.

Examples: For the purposes of point 6, envelopes, enzymes, genetic material coding for a microorganism, proteins.

A group of fungus-like microorganisms that are sometimes called ‘water moulds’ that reproduce by the production of spores. They can cause serious diseases in plants such as sudden oak death (SOD).

Infectious microorganisms that cause disease in plants. These include bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, phytoplasmas, viroids and viruses.

Specialised bacteria that are parasites of plant tissue which are transmitted from plant to plant via insects. They cause a variety of symptoms in plants ranging from mild yellowing through to plant death.

Plant pathogens that consist of single stranded RNA. Viroids are the smallest known infectious agent. They cause similar symptoms to viruses although they are much smaller in size.

An infectious agent that can only replicate inside the living cells of an organism. They consist of single or double stranded DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat.

See virus