Serology study of healthcare workers following a hospital-based outbreak of COVID-19 in North West Tasmania, Australia, 2020.

Introduction: Healthcare facilities are high-risk settings for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the first large healthcare-associated outbreak within Australia occurred in Tasmania. Several operational research studies were conducted amongst workers from the implicated hospital campus, to learn more about COVID-19 transmission.

Antibodies against Spike protein correlate with broad autoantigen recognition 8 months post SARS-CoV-2 exposure, and anti-calprotectin autoantibodies associated with better clinical outcomes.

Autoantibodies to multiple targets are found during acute COVID-19. Whether all, or some, persist after 6 months, and their correlation with sustained anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity, is still controversial. Herein, we measured antibodies to multiple SARS-CoV-2 antigens (Wuhan-Hu-1 nucleoprotein (NP), whole spike (S), spike subunits (S1, S2 and receptor binding domain (RBD)) and Omicron spike) and 102 human proteins with known autoimmune associations, in plasma from healthcare workers 8 months post-exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (n=31 with confirmed COVID-19 disease and n=21 uninfected controls (PCR and anti-SARS-CoV-2 negative) at baseline).

The World Health Organization's Frontline Support to Countries During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on January 30, 2020. WHO rapidly scaled up its response including through its 149 country offices to support Member States prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article describes the frontline role of the WHO Country Offices (WCOs) and demonstrates that WHO utilized its existing country presence to deliver its global program of work during this unprecedented emergency.

COVID-19: Integrating genomic and epidemiological data to inform public health interventions and policy in Tasmania, Australia.

Objective: We undertook an integrated analysis of genomic and epidemiological data to investigate a large health-care-associated outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to better understand the epidemiology of COVID-19 cases in Tasmania, Australia.

Methods: Epidemiological data collected on COVID-19 cases notified in Tasmania between 2 March and 15 May 2020, and positive samples of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or RNA extracted from the samples were included. Sequencing was conducted by tiled amplicon polymerase chain reaction with ARTIC v1 or v3 primers and Illumina sequencing.

Lessons learnt from the first large outbreak of COVID-19 in health-care settings in Tasmania, Australia.

Problem: One month after the initial case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Tasmania, an island state of Australia, two health-care workers (HCWs) from a single regional hospital were notified to public health authorities following positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid. These were the first recognized cases in an outbreak that overwhelmed the hospital's ability to function.

Context: The outbreak originated from two index cases.

The World Health Organization's Actions Within the United Nations System to Facilitate a Whole-of-Society Response to COVID-19 at Country Level.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted that managing health emergencies requires more than an effective health response, but that operationalizing a whole-of-society approach is challenging. The World Health Organization (WHO), as the lead agency for health within the United Nations (UN), led the UN response at the global level through the Crisis Management Team, and at the country level through the UN Country Teams (UNCTs) in accordance with its mandate. Three case studies-Mali, Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan-provide examples of how WHO contributed to the whole-of-society response for COVID-19 at the country level.

Expansion of the Lyme Disease Vector in Canada Inferred from CMIP5 Climate Projections.

Background: A number of studies have assessed possible climate change impacts on the Lyme disease vector, . However, most have used surface air temperature from only one climate model simulation and/or one emission scenario, representing only one possible climate future.

Objectives: We quantified effects of different Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) and climate model outputs on the projected future changes in the basic reproduction number (R) of to explore uncertainties in future R estimates.

A positive association between cryptosporidiosis notifications and ambient temperature, Victoria, Australia, 2001-2009.

Increased temperatures provide optimal conditions for pathogen survival, virulence and replication as well as increased opportunities for human-pathogen interaction. This paper examined the relationship between notifications of cryptosporidiosis and temperature in metropolitan and rural areas of Victoria, Australia between 2001 and 2009. A negative binomial regression model was used to analyse monthly average maximum and minimum temperatures, rainfall and the monthly count of cryptosporidiosis notifications.

Seasonal influenza vaccine policies, recommendations and use in the World Health Organization's Western Pacific Region.

Objective: Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent seasonal influenza and its severe outcomes. The objective of our study was to synthesize information on seasonal influenza vaccination policies, recommendations and practices in place in 2011 for all countries and areas in the Western Pacific Region of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Methods: Data were collected via a questionnaire on seasonal influenza vaccination policies, recommendations and practices in place in 2011.

A review of the evidence to support influenza vaccine introduction in countries and areas of WHO's Western Pacific Region.

Background: Immunization against influenza is considered an essential public health intervention to control both seasonal epidemics and pandemic influenza. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are five key policy and three key programmatic issues that decision-makers should consider before introducing a vaccine. These are (a) public health priority, (b) disease burden, (c) efficacy, quality and safety of the vaccine, (d) other inventions, (e) economic and financial issues, (f) vaccine presentation, (g) supply availability and (h) programmatic strength.

Using HIV notification data to identify priority migrant groups for HIV prevention, New South Wales, 2000-2008.

Non-Australian-born people comprise a third of HIV notifications in Australia. With increasing numbers of immigrants in Australia, public health and health promotion programs will need to adapt to the emerging epidemic of HIV among people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. This study uses HIV notification data to compare Australian-born and non-Australian-born cases in New South Wales and aims to determine if income of source country is useful in identifying high priority CALD groups.

Economic costs of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infection in Australia.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections are an important cause of foodborne disease in Australia. Three percent to 7% of sporadic patients develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and 40% of patients with HUS develop chronic complications. To examine costs associated with illness, we interviewed patients notified to the South Australian Department of Health with a structured questionnaire regarding severity of illness, medical treatment, time lost from work, hospitalization, and other costs.

How does the HIV epidemic in NSW compare to other Australian jurisdictions and internationally?

Aim: To review the epidemiology of HIV in NSW and compare HIV rates in NSW with those of other comparable jurisdictions.

Method: The rate of newly diagnosed cases of HIV reported in NSW was compared with those published from other Australian and comparable international jurisdictions.

Results: Until recent years, NSW has consistently reported the highest rate of newly diagnosed HIV infections in Australia with a peak of 29.

Serogroup-specific risk factors for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infection in Australia.

Background: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important cause of foodborne illness. In Australia, risk factors for STEC infection have not been examined at a national level.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study in 6 Australian jurisdictions from 2003 through 2007.

Epidemiology of laboratory confirmed tuberculosis in Victoria, 1990 to 2004.

In Australia, most cases of tuberculosis (TB) occur in migrants. To inform control strategies for this group, we investigated all laboratory confirmed tuberculosis cases diagnosed by the State TB reference laboratory in Victoria between 1990 and 2004. The laboratory data were matched to notification data to determine country of birth and a multivariate model was constructed to compare Australian and non-Australian-born patients.

High prevalence of tinea capitis in newly arrived migrants at an English-language school, Melbourne, 2005.

Objective: To investigate a reported increase in tinea capitis in an English-language school to determine if it was an outbreak and whether control measures were warranted.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting And Population: Primary school children enrolled at an English-language school in an outer suburb of Melbourne were screened for tinea capitis in November 2005 by clinical examination, collection of scalp, skin or nail specimens where clinically indicated, and scalp brushing.

Persistent risk of tuberculosis in migrants a decade after arrival in Australia.

Objective: To examine the risk of tuberculosis (TB) in migrants a decade after their arrival in Australia.

Design, Setting And Patients: Retrospective review of laboratory-confirmed cases of TB in migrants diagnosed between 1990 and 2004 by the state TB reference laboratory in Victoria, analysed by a multivariate model comparing migrants diagnosed 10 or more years after arrival with those diagnosed within 10 years of arrival.

Main Outcome Measures: Time to diagnosis; characteristics of migrants diagnosed with TB, including age, sex, region of birth, site of infection, and drug resistance.

A multi-jurisdiction outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 135 associated with purchasing chicken meat from a supermarket chain.

A multi-jurisdiction case control study was conducted after an increase of Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 135 notifications (a local designated subgroup) was observed throughout Australia. Hypothesis generating interviews conducted in three jurisdictions identified consumption of chicken, eggs, beef and bagged carrots as common among cases and that a high proportion of cases (> 80%) reported purchasing their groceries from a particular supermarket chain (Supermarket A). We conducted a case control study to test whether S.