Genome Sequencing Links Persistent Outbreak of Legionellosis in Sydney (New South Wales, Australia) to an Emerging Clone of Legionella pneumophila Sequence Type 211.

The city of Sydney, Australia, experienced a persistent outbreak of serogroup 1 (Lp1) pneumonia in 2016. To elucidate the source and guide public health actions, the genomes of clinical and environmental Lp1 isolates recovered over 7 weeks were examined. A total of 48 isolates from human cases and cooling towers were sequenced and compared using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based core-genome multilocus sequencing typing (MLST) and pangenome approaches.

A mild outbreak of gastroenteritis in long-term care facility residents due to Clostridium perfringens, Australia 2009.

Introduction: Clostridium perfringens food poisoning is a commonly cited cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks among elderly long-term care facility (LTCF) residents, yet little is known about the natural history of disease in this vulnerable group. In July 2009, an investigation into diarrheal illness among LTCF residents was commenced.

Methods: An environmental health investigation and retrospective cohort study were undertaken to confirm the outbreak, to identify a source and mode of transmission, and to implement public health measures to prevent further cases.

It's enough to make you sick: the impact of racism on the health of Aboriginal Australians.

Background: Experience of interpersonal racism has been neglected as a mechanism by which inequalities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people are created and maintained.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey of randomly selected residents of a rural Australian town (n=639). Interpersonal racism was measured by two questions on experiences in the past four weeks of negative racially based treatment that evoked an emotional or physical response.