Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)最新文献

{"title":"Surveillance of adverse events following immunisation in Australia, 2023.","authors":"Thuy Nguyen, Belinda Jones, Megan Hickie, Kristine Macartney, Nicholas Wood, Lucy Deng","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2026.50.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This report summarises Australia's spontaneous surveillance data for adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) for all vaccines administered in 2023, reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). This report combines coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and non-COVID-19 AEFI that were previously reported separately in 2022 and 2021. Overall, there were 5,534 AEFI reports for vaccines administered in 2023. This represents an annual AEFI reporting rate of 20.8 per 100,000 population, compared with 79.2 per 100,000 population in 2022. The sharp decrease in the AEFI reporting rate in 2023 was likely driven by a change in COVID-19 vaccination policy. This included limiting COVID-19 vaccine booster dose recommendation to high-risk populations rather than to the wider community, resulting in a steep decline in both the number of administered doses and the number of AEFIs reported. The most commonly reported adverse events were medication errors, injection site reaction, hypersensitivity, pyrexia, and gastrointestinal nonspecific symptoms. The most commonly reported adverse events for new vaccines introduced in 2023 were medication errors and headache for COVID-19 vaccines; hypersensitivity and pyrexia for DTPa-HepB-IPV-Hib vaccine (Vaxelis); and injection site reaction and hypersensitivity for recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix). There was reduction in deaths reported following vaccination in 2023 compared to 2022 and 2021. None of the 34 reported deaths in 2023 were determined to be causally related to the vaccine(s) received.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus infections in Timor-Leste, January-July 2020.","authors":"Virginia de L da Conceição, Nevio da C Sarmento, Edson Matoso, Narcisio Soares, Tessa Oakley, Ian Marr, Lucsendar Alves, Jennifer Yan, Joshua Francis, Teresa Wozniak","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2026.50.028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The nation of Timor-Leste has a significant burden of infectious disease but has historically had limited diagnostic capacity and limited availability of microbiology data on human health. Recent developments in the diagnosis and reporting of key pathogens including <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> have allowed better understanding of the burden of key infectious diseases and their impact on the population of Timor-Leste.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A prospective observational study was performed on clinical isolates of <i>S. aureus</i> received at Laboratório da Saúde in Dili, Timor-Leste between January 2020 and July 2020. Clinical samples were obtained from patients living in 11 of the 13 municipalities in Timor-Leste. Standard microbiology culture, identification, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed, and clinical and demographic data were collected on laboratory-confirmed <i>S. aureus</i> isolates.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 59 clinical isolates of <i>S. aureus</i> were identified. Most patients in our study were found to have community-acquired <i>S. aureus</i> (75%), whilst the remaining 25% were hospital-associated infections. Of <i>S. aureus</i> isolates, 25% were found to be methicillin-resistant.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This is the first description of <i>S. aureus</i> infections in Timor-Leste. The high MRSA rates identified in this study can be used to better inform guidelines for the empirical treatment of <i>S. aureus</i> infection. Continuous investment in detecting clinically important pathogens and understanding their susceptibility profiles is critical for the development of treatment guidelines and antibiotic stewardship activities.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in adults aged 50 years and over during the Omicron period in Victoria, Australia.","authors":"Joshua Szanyi, Yue Yang, Jiaxu Zeng, Chris Clarke, Amanda Buttery, Tony Blakely","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2026.50.010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Country-specific estimates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine effectiveness (VE) are important for policy making, but analyses of COVID-19 VE in Australia have been limited to date.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used a modified Cox regression model to estimate, through the linkage of national and state-wide health and administrative datasets, the adjusted relative VE of three vs. two and four vs. three COVID-19 vaccine doses against hospitalisation and death due to COVID-19 among Victorians aged ≥ 50 years after the emergence of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. Analyses were conducted in two periods: 1 December 2021 to 19 June 2022 (Omicron BA.1/2 period; analyses of three vs. two doses); and 20 June 2022 to 7 November 2022 (Omicron BA.4/5 period; analyses of four vs. three doses).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Approximately 1.8 million people were included in analyses of three vs. two doses and approximately 1.2 million people were included in analyses of four vs. three doses. Adjusted relative VE against death 28 days after boosting with a third dose (compared to two doses) in individuals aged ≥ 65 years in the Omicron BA.1/2-dominant period reached 81.2% (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 76.9-84.6%). There was also evidence for a relative benefit of a third dose in the Omicron BA.1/2 period against hospitalisation (adjusted relative VE 63.6% [95% CI: 60.1-66.8%] 28 days post-boosting) and for a fourth dose in the Omicron BA.4/5 period against hospitalisation and death in this age group. In contrast, estimates of relative VE in the 50-64 year age group were highly imprecise (for example, 52.4% [95% CI: -16.6-80.6%] against death 28 days after receipt of a third dose in the Omicron BA.1/2-dominant period).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These results confirm the benefits of vaccine boosters in the Omicron era for those aged ≥ 65 years, with the most notable gains evident from a third dose in late 2021 to mid-2022.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ratting out leptospirosis: investigation of a revealing urban case associated with socioeconomic disadvantage in Sydney, Australia.","authors":"Kate E Lennard, Romeo J Torres, Misha G Klingstrom, Benjamin Knobel, David Andresen, Mark E Westman, Mark J Ferson","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2026.50.029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.029","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Classically reported in Australia in association with travel or occupational exposures, leptospirosis in the urban setting is a disease of lower socioeconomic status with the risk of rat exposure inversely proportional to conditions of living. Whilst this has been widely reported elsewhere in the world, urban-acquired cases of leptospirosis are rare in Australia. Here we report on the fifth locally acquired case in Sydney, Australia, during the period 2003-2024. This case coincided with a severe rat infestation in the case's social housing block. A collaborative environmental health investigation followed, involving members of the Public Health Unit and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. Twelve rats captured within a 1.5 km radius of the case's residence underwent polymerase chain reaction testing for leptospirosis and were all negative. This prompted consideration of other potential reservoirs, including native species. This case demonstrates persisting social inequities in metropolitan Sydney, and the consequences for health.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Measles epidemiology in Australia: 2014 to 2024.","authors":"Lizzie Gorrell, Benjamin Polkinghorne, David Durrheim","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2026.50.016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Endemic measles was verified as eliminated in Australia in 2014. We describe Australian measles epidemiology, 2014-2024.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>National measles notification data were analysed by age; sex; state/territory of residence; genotype; place of acquisition (overseas/Australia); vaccination status (number of doses); and outbreak reference ID (for clusters).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Between 2014 and 2024, there were 1,095 measles notifications (average annual notification rate 0.4 per 100,000 population per year). The highest annual notification rates were recorded in 2014 (1.4 per 100,000 per year) and 2019 (1.1 per 100,000 per year), when rates in the Northern Territory were 21.4 and 12.6 per 100,000 population per year, respectively. Although notification rates were highest among infants < 1 year of age (average 3.8 notifications per 100,000 population per year), people aged 20-49 accounted for 57.2% of total notifications (n = 626). Of cases with a known immunisation status (n = 766), there were 513 cases (66.9%) who reported being unvaccinated; 20.1% (n = 154) reported having received one dose of MMR vaccine prior to infection; and 12.1% (n = 93) reported two or more doses. For notifications where country of acquisition was available (n =1,077), just over half of cases (55.1%) were acquired in Australia. Where measles was acquired overseas (n = 493), the most common countries of acquisition were Indonesia (n = 99; 20.1%), the Philippines (n = 82; 16.6%) and India (n = 52; 10.5%). There were 47 clusters during the reporting period, of which the largest involved 74 linked cases in 2019. Of recorded clusters, 44 (93.6%) had a source country outside of Australia. Notifications tended to peak each year in the months coinciding with the end of Australian school holiday periods.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Australia has sustained measles elimination since 2014; this review of measles epidemiology, demonstrating a predominance of unvaccinated returning international travellers 20-49 years of age, provides strong motivation for maintaining high routine two-dose coverage and promoting measles vaccination to adults travelling internationally.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Restaurant-associated campylobacteriosis outbreak likely linked to duck liver pâté.","authors":"Emily Gibson, Craig Dalton, Megan Vidler, Peter Murray, Rebecca King, Sarie Wheatland, Megan Whitley, Alan Edwards","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2026.50.025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>An outbreak of <i>Campylobacter jejuni</i> gastroenteritis was reported to the Hunter New England Public Health Unit in July 2025. Seven cases were identified from 26 people who had attended an event held at a local restaurant. Investigation included case interviews; a site visit to the restaurant in conjunction with local council; and an online survey administered to attendees. Observation of the pâté making process revealed the potential for both undercooking of the raw pâté product and for raw pâté product to be re-introduced to cooked product. New South Wales Food Authority issued a prohibition order requiring the restaurant to remove the item from the menu. Following this action, no further cases of campylobacteriosis associated with the premises have been reported.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying missing links - an ongoing outbreak of a novel tuberculosis strain in regional Queensland.","authors":"Bridget O'Connor, Arnold Bainomugisa, Sushil Pandey, Gemma Devlin, Christopher Coulter","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2026.50.019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Tuberculosis (TB) is a global public health problem, and community outbreaks occur. We report an outbreak of TB with an unusual MPT64 negative status, first detected in North Queensland, Australia, in 2017-2018.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective epidemiological and laboratory investigation into potentially linked cases was undertaken. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) phylogenetic and cluster analysis was performed. A confirmed outbreak case was defined as genomically closely related and a probable case as epidemiologically linked to a confirmed case, in the absence of WGS. Demographic characteristics and risk factors of outbreak cases were compared to other Australian-born cases in Queensland using univariate analysis. The aim of this study was to describe the outbreak, identify any associated risk factors and compare the epidemiological and genomic links between cases.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Between 2002-2023, a total of 47 outbreak cases were identified: 44 (94%) were genomically linked and three (6%) were epidemiologically linked. Cases were all adults; 29 (64%) were male; 40 (89%) had pulmonary TB, of whom 30 (75%) were sputum smear positive. Compared to other Australian born cases, outbreak cases were more likely to be aged 25-44 years; to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (First Nations peoples); to be residents of Central and Northern Queensland; and to experience a less successful TB treatment outcome (p < 0.05). Homelessness, previous incarceration, and substance use were significantly associated with being an outbreak case (p < 0.01). WGS analysis provided links for ten cases (24%) where no epidemiological links were identified.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Ongoing local transmission of a unique TB strain has persisted in Queensland's First Nations communities and presents an opportunity to reconfigure TB prevention and care efforts in partnership with local communities. This study demonstrates the importance of integrating genomic data with traditional case investigation and contact tracing information, enhancing public health surveillance and targeted interventions to optimise TB management in high-risk populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shigellosis: antibiotics should be strictly reserved for severe disease and cases at very high risk of onward transmission.","authors":"Bhakti Vasant, Mark Stickley, Megan Young, Kate Alexander, Robert Bell, Amy Jennison, Rikki Graham, Asha Kakkanat, Russell Stafford","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2026.50.026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Increasing rates of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) <i>Shigella</i> have been detected worldwide. This retrospective review of shigellosis notifications in Southeast Queensland found that XDR <i>Shigella</i> accounted for 48% of notifications. Antimicrobial treatment should be reserved for individuals with severe disease, immunocompromise or high risk of onward transmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal analysis of respiratory virus epidemics in Victoria over winter 2024.","authors":"Oliver Eales, Katharine Senior, Saras Windecker, Ruarai Tobin, Janet Strachan, Elizabeth Robinson, Nick Golding, James Wood, James McCaw, Freya Shearer","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2026.50.015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During winter months of temperate regions, concurrent epidemics of multiple respiratory pathogens can occur, causing periods of increased clinical burden. Case time series, which are predominantly used to monitor infection levels, can exhibit substantial noise and day-of-the-week effects, limiting the visual interpretation of trends in raw data. However, statistical methods can infer smoothed trends within case time series by quantifying and accounting for different sources of noise. Here we apply statistical models to estimate the epidemic dynamics of SARS-CoV-2, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza subtypes (influenza A H3N2, influenza A H1N1, and influenza B) in Victoria, Australia, over the 2024 winter season. We model trends in daily reported cases and the daily growth rate over time for all pathogens/subtypes. We present: (1) retrospective analyses using the final dataset up to 10 September 2024 and (2) weekly real-time analyses from 19 March 2024 to 10 September 2024 using data up to each timepoint, including a retrospective performance evaluation. We estimated similar peak timing of SARS-CoV-2 and RSV epidemics in late May, followed by a H3N2-dominant influenza epidemic, which peaked in early July. Transient increases in SARS-CoV-2 activity coincided with the emergence of new variants and transient decreases in influenza activity corresponded to the timing of school holidays. Real-time estimates demonstrated good agreement with those produced at the end of the season, with significant overlap of the 95% credible intervals. Our findings demonstrate how statistical methods can be implemented in real time to synthesise noisy case time-series data into interpretable trends (including uncertainty), enabling quantification of the strength of evidence for whether epidemic activity is increasing, stable or declining. Our real-time outputs were reported weekly to the Department of Health, Victoria during June-September 2024, complementing other routine surveillance indicators.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investment in cross-jurisdictional relationships results in a streamlined and efficient response by public health units to an imported case of measles in Far North Queensland and the Northern Territory, Australia, 2025.","authors":"Tonia Marquardt, Julie Esmonde, Jacqueline Murdoch, Anthony Draper, Kimberley McMahon","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2026.50.024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We describe the multi-jurisdictional collaborative approach employed in response to an imported case of measles in August 2025. This report highlights the importance of a rapid, coordinated response to measles across borders.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"50 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}