Real-time PCR assay for detection of blaZ genes in Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates.

The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recommends consideration of blaZ gene testing for cases of serious Staphylococcus aureus infection. Conventional PCR methods have demonstrated superior sensitivity and specificity to phenotypic tests. To our knowledge, this is the first description of real-time PCR detection of the blaZ gene.

A prolonged mumps outbreak among highly vaccinated Aboriginal people in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Objective: To describe a prolonged outbreak of mumps in the Kimberley region of Western Australia in 2007-2008.

Design: Descriptive analysis of all mumps cases notified to the WA Notifiable Infectious Diseases Database for the period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008.

Main Outcome Measures: Notified cases of mumps by patients' place of residence, age, Indigenous or non-Indigenous ethnicity, vaccination status and method of diagnosis.

Expanded range of Burkholderia species in Australia.

This study describes the isolation and characterization of several Burkholderia species from soil in northern Australia. Phenotypic and molecular tests indicate that these isolates belong to the species Burkholderia thailandensis and Burkholderia ubonensis. These observations significantly extend our knowledge of the geographic distribution of these 2 species.