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Australian childhood immunisation coverage, 1 January to 31 March cohort, assessed as at 30 June 2014.
Authors: Hull BP PMID: 26063090 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report)
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - June 14, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Australian childhood immunisation coverage, April to June cohort, assessed as at 30 September 2014.
Authors: Hull BP PMID: 26063091 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report)
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - June 14, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Australian Sentinel Practices Research Network, 1 October to 31 December 2013.
Authors: Chilver MB, Blakeley D, Stocks NP PMID: 26063092 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report)
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - June 14, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Invasive pneumococcal disease surveillance Australia, 1 July to 30 September 2014.
Authors: de Kluyver R, Enhanced Invasive Pneumococcal Disease Surveillance Working Group PMID: 26063093 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report)
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - June 14, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Australian vaccine preventable disease epidemiological review series: rubella 2008-2012.
This study aims to review Australian rubella epidemiology for the 2008-2012 period, in the context of historical and international trends. METHODS: Notification, hospitalisation and mortality data were sourced from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, the National Hospital Morbidity Database and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Data analysis focused on 2008-2012 for notifications and 2008-2011 for hospitalisations and deaths. ABS population data were used to calculate rates. RESULTS: The average annual rubella notification rate in Australia from 2008-2012 was 0.18 per 100,000 and ...
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - June 14, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

A field study of household attack rates and the effectiveness of macrolide antibiotics in reducing household transmission of pertussis.
Authors: Terry JB, Flatley CJ, van den Berg DJ, Morgan GG, Trent M, Turahui JA, Greenwood MC, Corben PW, Bell GJ Abstract Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough) is an endemic, highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection, which is notifiable to Australian state and territory health departments. Between 2008 and 2011 there was a substantial outbreak in New South Wales with an initial increase in cases occurring in North Coast New South Wales from late 2007. During September and October 2011 the North Coast Public Health Unit conducted a household study of secondary attack rates to assess the effectivene...
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - June 14, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Norovirus genotype diversity associated with gastroenteritis outbreaks in Victoria in 2013.
This study examined the incidence of norovirus outbreaks in Victoria over 1 year (2013) and documented the genotypes occurring in the different outbreak settings (healthcare and non-healthcare) and age groups. It was found that 63.1% of gastroenteritis outbreaks were associated with norovirus, thereby showing norovirus to be the major viral cause of illness in gastroenteritis outbreaks. Sixteen capsid genotypes were identified and included GI.2, GI.3, GI.4, GI.6, GI.7, GI.8, GI.9, GII.1, GII.2, GII.3, GII.4, GII.5, GII.6, GII.7, GII.13 and an as yet unclassified GII genotype. All genotypes found in the study, with the exce...
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - June 14, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Review of 2005 Public Health Laboratory Network Neisseria gonorrhoeae nucleic acid amplification tests guidelines.
Authors: Whiley DM, Lahra MM, National Neisseria Network Abstract At the request of the Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN), the National Neisseria Network (NNN) met to discuss the 2009 PHLN Neisseria gonorrhoeae nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) guidelines and the need for supplementary testing. A central point of discussion at this NNN meeting, which took place in May 2013, was the potential for N. gonorrhoeae supplementary testing to lead to false-negative results. Data were presented at the meeting that questioned the sensitivity of commonly used in-house supplementary methods as compared with...
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - June 14, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Australia's notifiable disease status, 2012: Annual report of the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.
Authors: NNDSS Annual Report Writing Group Abstract In 2012, 65 diseases and conditions were nationally notifiable in Australia. States and territories reported a total of 243,822 notifications of communicable diseases to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, an increase of 2% on the number of notifications in 2011. In 2012, the most frequently notified diseases were sexually transmissible infections (99,250 notifications, 40.7% of total notifications), vaccine preventable diseases (85,810 notifications, 35.2% of total notifications), and gastrointestinal diseases (31,155 notifications, 12....
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - June 14, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

An outbreak of gastroenteritis linked to a buffet lunch served at a Canberra restaurant.
Authors: Sloan-Gardner TS, Glynn-Robinson AJ, Roberts-Witteveen A, Krsteski R, Rogers K, Kaye A, Moffatt CR Abstract In 2013, an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness occurred following a buffet lunch at a restaurant in Canberra. An investigation was conducted to identify the cause of illness and to implement appropriate public health measures to prevent further disease. We conducted a retrospective cohort study via telephone interviews, using a structured questionnaire developed from the restaurant buffet menu. A case was defined as someone who ate the buffet lunch at the restaurant on the implicated date ...
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - January 31, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Surveillance snapshot of Clostridium difficile infection in hospitals across Queensland detects binary toxin producing ribotype UK 244.
Authors: Huber CA, Hall L, Foster NF, Gray M, Allen M, Richardson LJ, Robson J, Vohra R, Schlebusch S, George N, Nimmo GR, Riley TV, Paterson DL Abstract In North America and Europe, the binary toxin positive Clostridium difficile strains of the ribotypes 027 and 078 have been associated with death, toxic megacolon and other adverse outcomes. Following an increase in C. difficile infections (CDIs) in Queensland, a prevalence study involving 175 hospitals was undertaken in early 2012, identifying 168 cases of CDI over a 2 month period. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics were recorded, and C. ...
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - January 31, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Histamine fish poisoning in Australia, 2001 to 2013.
We report on human illness due to histamine fish poisoning outbreaks in Australia from 2001 to 2013. Histamine fish poisoning results from the ingestion of histamine contained within the flesh of certain fish species that naturally contain histidine, which has been converted to histamine by spoilage bacteria following poor handling or temperature control after harvesting. While symptoms vary, allergic symptoms such as facial flushing, headaches and rashes are frequently reported. Using the OzFoodNet outbreak register, published case reports and surveillance reports, we found data on 57 outbreaks of histamine fish poisoning...
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - January 31, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Public health response to a measles outbreak in a large correctional facility, Queensland, 2013.
This report documents the prompt, co-ordinated and effective public health response to a measles outbreak in Queensland in 2013. There were 17 cases in a large, high-security, regional correctional facility, a setting with unique challenges. Recommendations are provided to reduce the likelihood and magnitude of measles outbreaks in correctional facilities. Commun Dis Intell 2014;38(4):E294-E297. PMID: 25631590 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report)
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - January 31, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Toxigenic cutaneous diphtheria in a returned traveller.
Authors: Abdul Rahim NR, Koehler AP, Shaw DD, Graham CR Abstract Diphtheria is rarely reported in Australia. A case of cutaneous diphtheria was reported to the South Australian Department for Health and Ageing in April 2013 in an Australian-born 18-year-old female following travel in India. The case presented with a skin ulcer on her toe. Toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae was isolated from a swab of the lesion. The case was treated with antibiotics. The public health response included infection control advice, assessing the case and household contacts for organism carriage and providing antimicrobial c...
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - January 31, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research

Australian Meningococcal Surveillance Programme annual report, 2013.
Authors: Lahra MM, Enriquez RP Abstract In 2013, there were 143 laboratory-confirmed cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) analysed by the Australian National Neisseria Network (NNN). This was the lowest number of laboratory confirmed IMD cases referred to the NNN since the inception of the Australian Meningococcal Surveillance Programme in 1994. Probable and laboratory confirmed IMD is notifiable in Australia. There were 149 IMD cases notified to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System in 2013. Meningococcal serogrouping was determined for 139/143 laboratory confirmed IMD cases; 74.8&...
Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report - January 31, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Commun Dis Intell Q Rep Source Type: research