Miranda Z Smith, Maureen Turner, Javier Haurat, Irani Thevarajan, Justin Denholm, Steven YC Tong, Gail V Matthews, Rowena A Bull, Marianne Martinello, James McMahon, Allison Imrie, Priyanka E Pillai
{"title":"The APPRISE Virtual Biobank for Infectious Diseases.","authors":"Miranda Z Smith, Maureen Turner, Javier Haurat, Irani Thevarajan, Justin Denholm, Steven YC Tong, Gail V Matthews, Rowena A Bull, Marianne Martinello, James McMahon, Allison Imrie, Priyanka E Pillai","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.66","DOIUrl":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.66","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Australian Partnership for Preparedness Research on InfectiouS disease Emergencies (APPRISE) has developed a virtual biobank to support infectious disease research in Australia. The virtual biobank (https://apprise.biogrid.org.au) integrates access to existing distributed infectious disease biospecimen collections comprising multiple specimen types, including plasma, serum, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Through the development of a common data model, multiple collections can be searched simultaneously via a secure web portal. The portal enhances the visibility and searchability of existing collections within their current governance and custodianship arrangements. The portal is easily scalable for integration of additional collections.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"47 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134650124","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}
Richard Stapledon, Ellen J Donnan, National Tuberculosis Advisory Committee Ntac
{"title":"Australian recommendations for the management of drug-resistant tuberculosis, 2023.","authors":"Richard Stapledon, Ellen J Donnan, National Tuberculosis Advisory Committee Ntac","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.48","DOIUrl":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.48","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"47 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49683165","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}
TS Mekala Fernando, Stephen B Lambert, Robert Kemp, Linda A Selvey
{"title":"Enhanced surveillance of notifications of hepatitis C to Queensland Health up to 19 years previously.","authors":"TS Mekala Fernando, Stephen B Lambert, Robert Kemp, Linda A Selvey","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.63","DOIUrl":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.63","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this study we aimed to assess the utility of following up historical hepatitis C notifications for enhanced surveillance and linking cases to further testing and treatment. Queensland hepatitis C notifications from June 2018, 2013, 2008 and 2003 who were not incarcerated at the time of testing were followed up. The most recent identified clinicians for cases were contacted by telephone. When no information about a current clinician was available, the case was contacted via a letter or text message. Clinicians and cases were encouraged to pursue further testing and treatment and provide information about management. Following notification but prior to this study's follow-up, a majority of cases (309/532; 58%) had a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or underwent treatment.Clinician follow-up was successful in 21% of eligible cases, with the proportion decreasing with increasing time since notification. In conclusion, contacting clinicians to link notified cases to further testing and treatment may increase testing and treatment in a small proportion of cases notified up to nine years post-notification. From our experience, the follow-up of notifications before this time is unlikely to result in improved outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"47 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49683167","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}
Morris Carpenter, Linda A Selvey, Stephen B Lambert, Robert Kemp
{"title":"Using notifications data to increase hepatitis C testing and treatment rates in Queensland.","authors":"Morris Carpenter, Linda A Selvey, Stephen B Lambert, Robert Kemp","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.62","DOIUrl":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.62","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Australia's goal of eliminating hepatitis C by 2030 requires increases in uptake of and access to testing and treatment. As hepatitis C is a notifiable condition, health departments have access to information about people exposed to the hepatitis C virus (HCV), including the details of notifying clinicians who ordered their diagnostic pathology tests. Hepatitis C RNA testing confirms active infection that requires treatment, whereas a positive antibody test result only indicates prior exposure to the virus. We undertook a pilot project in Queensland to follow up hepatitis C notifications with clinicians, aiming to increase HCV-RNA testing and treatment uptake. For all individuals with a first-time hepatitis C notification in Queensland between 3 November 2020 and 28 May 2021, we sought information regarding hepatitis C RNA testing from laboratories, excluding those cases diagnosed in prisons. Cases who did not have RNA testing identified as part of or after their initial diagnostic tests were followed up via their notifying clinician. Interviews with selected clinicians were undertaken to improve our understanding of the follow-up process. There were 769 new hepatitis C notifications during our study period: 244 had no subsequent RNA test identified and were followed up for this study. Of these, 134 cases were lost to follow-up; 26 were already being effectively case managed; 22 reported previous treatment and no further risk; and 62 were eligible for HCV-RNA testing. Twenty-six cases subsequently started hepatitis C treatment. Thirty-four percent of notifications that required follow-up resulted from testing initially requested in hospital settings. Following up hepatitis C notifications can result in increased treatment rates; however, the process was resource-intensive and often failed to result in further contact between clinicians and patients. Our findings also highlight the importance of supporting better continuity of care between hospitals and community settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"47 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49683170","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":"Public health response to an outbreak of meningococcal B disease in a secondary school in Far North Queensland.","authors":"Tonia Marquardt, Josh Hanson, Annie Preston-Thomas, Carlie Thirlwell, Asha Kakkanat, Nancy Goncalves","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.50","DOIUrl":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.50","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article describes the public health response to an outbreak of meningococcal B disease, linked to a secondary school in Far North Queensland. Tropical Public Health Services in Cairns were notified of three cases of meningococcal disease in the same week in May 2022. The cases occurred in individuals who all attended, or worked in, the same secondary school. All cases were serogroup B and shared the same molecular genotype. The public health response included prompt provision of information, distribution of clearance antibiotics and two doses of MenB-4C vaccine to the entire staff and student population. Antibiotic coverage and vaccination coverage were achieved in 99% and 85% of the student population respectively. Following the intervention, no further cases were detected in the region during the subsequent nine months.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"47 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49683169","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}
Suzy M Teutsch, Carlos A Nunez, Anne Morris, Guy D Eslick, Elizabeth J Elliott
{"title":"Erratum to Commun Dis Intell (2018) 2023;47. (https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2023.47.46).","authors":"Suzy M Teutsch, Carlos A Nunez, Anne Morris, Guy D Eslick, Elizabeth J Elliott","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.64","DOIUrl":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.64","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The text within this report, as originally published, incorrectly stated that the two included cases of dengue had not recently travelled to a dengue-endemic country. A reexamination of the case data has shown that both cases had recently travelled to a country where dengue is endemic. The paragraph below provides the corrected text for the dengue case descriptions, and replaces the paragraph at the foot of the right-hand column of text on page 10 of the published report. In 2022, two cases of dengue were notified to the APSU, one confirmed and one probable (Table 1), and the incidence estimate for the surveillance period (1 February - 31 December 2022) is shown in Table 2. Neither child had a prior history of dengue; however, both had recently travelled to an endemic country. One had DENV2 serotype and the serotype was not recorded for the second child. Both children were hospitalised and symptoms included fever, rash, cough, severe abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fatigue, retro-orbital pain and myalgia/arthralagia joint pains. One child had respiratory co-infection with human metapneumovirus. Both children received supportive therapies (intravenous fluids, pain relief) and one child received ceftriaxone. On discharge, one child had ongoing problems including arthralgia, fatigue, thrombocytopaenia and hepatitis.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"47 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49683168","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}
Eliora SG Morris, Aditi Dey, Kaitlyn Vette, Harunor Rashid, Nicholas Wood, Frank Beard
{"title":"Australian vaccine preventable disease epidemiological review series: tetanus 2003-2019.","authors":"Eliora SG Morris, Aditi Dey, Kaitlyn Vette, Harunor Rashid, Nicholas Wood, Frank Beard","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.61","DOIUrl":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.61","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Background We examined trends in tetanus notification, hospitalisation and death data from 2003-2019 to assess the impact of adult tetanus booster recommendations in Australia. Methods Tetanus notifications and deaths from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System; hospitalisations from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Hospital Morbidity Database; and deaths from the Australian Coordinating Registry were analysed by age group, sex, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status and state/territory. Annual rates were calculated using Australian Bureau of Statistics mid-year estimated resident populations from 2003-2019 as denominators. To assess the impact of a recommended booster dose of reduced antigen content diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (dTpa) vaccine for adults aged ≥ 65 years, notification, hospitalisation and death rates of tetanus per 100,000 population were compared pre (2003-2012) and post (2013-2019) the recommendation's introduction. Results There were 63 notifications of tetanus from 2003-2019 with an average annual incidence rate of 0.02/100,000. Similar to previous studies, the burden of tetanus in the Australian population continues to disproportionately affect the elderly, with those aged ≥ 65 years encompassing 63% (40/63) of notifications and 100% (11/11) of the deaths observed in this timeframe. Following the introduction of a recommendation for those aged ≥ 65 years to receive a dTpa booster, average annual notification and hospitalisation rates in those aged ≥ 65 years were significantly lower (notifications: 0.11/100,000 in 2003-2012 and 0.05/100,000 in 2013-2019, p = 0.01; hospitalisations: 0.24/100,000 in 2003-2012 and 0.10/100,000 in 2013-2019, p = 0.01]). The average annual death rate was similar in the two periods (0.002/100,000), although based on small numbers. Conclusions The findings of this analysis suggest a positive impact from the 2013 recommendation. However, the burden is still disproportionately higher in those aged ≥ 65 years and strategies to improve vaccination coverage in older Australians are recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"47 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49683166","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}
Madeleine J Marsland, Anna Glynn-Robinson, Rebecca F Gang, Janet Strachan
{"title":"The impact of the National Shingles Vaccination Program on the epidemiology of herpes zoster among adults ≥ 60 years in Victoria, Australia.","authors":"Madeleine J Marsland, Anna Glynn-Robinson, Rebecca F Gang, Janet Strachan","doi":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.56","DOIUrl":"10.33321/cdi.2023.47.56","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In November 2016, Australia recommended herpes zoster (HZ) vaccination for adults aged ≥ 60 years and implemented a National Shingles Vaccination Program (NSVP) offering free HZ vaccination to adults aged 70-79 years. This study investigated trends in HZ epidemiology among Victorian adults aged ≥ 60 years and the impact of the NSVP in this population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted epidemiological analyses of routinely collected HZ surveillance data for Victorian adults aged ≥ 60 years who were notified as having a HZ illness or vaccination between 2012 and 2021. Annual incidence rates are presented for vaccinations, case notifications, emergency department presentations, hospitalisations and deaths by five-year age groups. Age-specific incidence rate ratios are calculated comparing the period prior to (1 January 2012 to 31 October 2016) and following (1 November 2016 to 31 December 2021) NSVP implementation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>HZ vaccination rates were highest among those eligible to receive free vaccination (70-79 years), but appear to have plateaued across all age groups and remained below full coverage. Incidence rate ratios showed a statistically significant increase (p < 0.01) in HZ notifications across all age-groups. Emergency presentations and hospitalisations showed a statistically significant decline (p < 0.05) among the 70-79 year old age groups; however, these rates remained consistent or increased among other age groups for whom vaccination is recommended. Mortality rates declined, particularly among those aged 85+ years.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>HZ continues to cause significant disease among the older adult population in Victoria. The findings of this study suggest the NSVP has led to some changes in the epidemiology of HZ among the 70-79 years old age group in Victoria; however, there is less evidence that it has influenced other age groups for whom vaccination is recommended. An evaluation of the NSVP and epidemiology of HZ at a national level is required to identify strategies to improve vaccination coverage among the target populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":36867,"journal":{"name":"Communicable diseases intelligence (2018)","volume":"47 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41215054","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}