Measles secondary vaccine failure in a childcare setting: an outbreak report.

The Sunshine Coast Public Health Unit (SCPHU) identified a measles case in a childcare educator (CE) with secondary vaccine failure (SVF). The CE had been exposed to a confirmed measles case in a hospital emergency department and later developed symptoms including fever, cough, malaise, and a rash. Diagnostic tests confirmed measles virus infection.

Standard rectal swabs as a surrogate sample for gut microbiome monitoring in intensive care.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of routinely available rectal swabs as a surrogate sample type for testing the gut microbiome and monitoring antibiotic effects on key gut microorganisms, of patients hospitalised in an intensive care unit. A metagenomic whole genome sequencing approach was undertaken to determine the diversity of organisms as well as resistance genes and to compare findings between the two sampling techniques.

Results: No significant difference was observed in overall diversity between the faeces and rectal swabs and sampling technique was not demonstrated to predict microbial community variation.

Detection of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of SARS-CoV-2 in aircraft wastewater.

On the 26th of November 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the newly detected B.1.1.

Tracking the international spread of SARS-CoV-2 lineages B.1.1.7 and B.1.351/501Y-V2 with grinch.

Late in 2020, two genetically-distinct clusters of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with mutations of biological concern were reported, one in the United Kingdom and one in South Africa. Using a combination of data from routine surveillance, genomic sequencing and international travel we track the international dispersal of lineages B.1.

Replication Kinetics of B.1.351 and B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern Including Assessment of a B.1.1.7 Mutant Carrying a Defective ORF7a Gene.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of COVID-19, is a readily transmissible and potentially deadly pathogen which is currently re-defining human susceptibility to pandemic viruses in the modern world. The recent emergence of several genetically distinct descendants known as variants of concern (VOCs) is further challenging public health disease management, due to increased rates of virus transmission and potential constraints on vaccine effectiveness. We report the isolation of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs imported into Australia belonging to the B.

Completing the Picture-Capturing the Resistome in Antibiotic Clinical Trials.

Despite the accepted dogma that antibiotic use is the largest contributor to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and human microbiome disruption, our knowledge of specific antibiotic-microbiome effects remains basic. Detection of associations between new or old antimicrobials and specific AMR burden is patchy and heterogeneous. Various microbiome analysis tools are available to determine antibiotic effects on microbial communities in vivo.

A Case of Japanese Encephalitis with a Fatal Outcome in an Australian Who Traveled from Bali in 2019.

A severe case of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection, resulting in fatality, occurred in an unvaccinated Australian male traveler from Bali, Indonesia, in 2019. During hospitalisation in Australia, patient cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) yielded JEV-specific IgM antibodies and RNA, and an isolate of the virus. Ongoing transmission of JEV in Bali underscores this pathogen as a public health risk and the importance of appropriate health, vaccination and mosquito avoidance advice to prospective travelers to the region.

COVID-19 in a complex obstetric patient with cystic fibrosis.

We report the first case of COVID-19 in a pregnant patient with cystic fibrosis. We describe the diagnosis, clinical course and management of the patient and their family with regards to clinical, social and infection control measures around delivery. This case highlights the importance of the cooperation of multidisciplinary teams to achieve good clinical outcomes in complex patients with COVID-19.

Testing for Common Respiratory Viruses in Children Admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care: Epidemiology and Outcomes.

Objectives: Viral infections are common in children, but there is a lack of data on severe viral infections in critically ill children. We investigated testing for viral infections in children requiring PICU admission and describe the epidemiology and outcomes.

Design: Multicenter retrospective study.

Antimicrobial-associated harm in critical care: a narrative review.

The belief that, for the individual patient, the benefit of prompt and continued use of antimicrobials outweighs any potential harm is a significant barrier to improved stewardship of these vital agents. Antimicrobial stewardship may be perceived as utilitarian rationing, seeking to preserve the availability of effective antimicrobials by limiting the development of resistance in a manner which could conflict with the immediate treatment of the patient in need. This view does not account for the growing evidence of antimicrobial-associated harm to individual patients.

Viral Respiratory Infections Diagnosed After PICU Admission.

Objectives: Reduction of nosocomial infections represents an increasingly recognized aspect of PICU benchmarking. We investigated the prevalence and outcomes of viral respiratory infections acquired during admission to PICU.

Design: Multicenter, statewide retrospective linkage study.

Severe Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infection in Children Admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia and may cause life-threatening disease in children. We identified 30 (0.3%) confirmed M.

Diagnostic testing in influenza and pertussis related paediatric intensive care unit admissions,Queensland, Australia, 1997-2013.

Severe respiratory infections make up a large proportion of Australian paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) admissions each year. Identification of the causative pathogen is important and informs clinical management. We investigated the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the ICU-setting using data collated by the Australian and New Zealand Paediatric Intensive Care (ANZPIC) Registry from five ICUs in Queensland, Australia.

Early Blood Stream Infections after BMT are Associated with Cytokine Dysregulation and Poor Overall Survival.

The key complications of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) remain graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and opportunistic infection. We have analyzed the blood stream infections (BSIs) occurring between day -7 and day 100 in a cohort of 184 adult patients undergoing allogeneic BMT in our center. A total of 167 of the 184 patients (91%) had blood cultures collected, and 69 (38%) patients had a confirmed BSI.

Impact of Viral Respiratory Pathogens on Outcomes After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

Objectives: Viral respiratory infection is commonly considered a relative contraindication to elective cardiac surgery. We aimed to determine the frequency and outcomes of symptomatic viral respiratory infection in pediatric cardiac surgical patients.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of children undergoing cardiac surgery.

Surveillance snapshot of Clostridium difficile infection in hospitals across Queensland detects binary toxin producing ribotype UK 244.

In North America and Europe, the binary toxin positive Clostridium difficile strains of the ribotypes 027 and 078 have been associated with death, toxic megacolon and other adverse outcomes. Following an increase in C. difficile infections (CDIs) in Queensland, a prevalence study involving 175 hospitals was undertaken in early 2012, identifying 168 cases of CDI over a 2 month period.

Molecular characterization of carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in the countries of the Gulf cooperation council: dominance of OXA-48 and NDM producers.

The molecular epidemiology and mechanisms of resistance of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) were determined in hospitals in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), namely, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Isolates were subjected to PCR-based detection of antibiotic-resistant genes and repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) assessments of clonality. Sixty-two isolates which screened positive for potential carbapenemase production were assessed, and 45 were found to produce carbapenemase.

Effect of long-term, low-dose erythromycin on pulmonary exacerbations among patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis: the BLESS randomized controlled trial.

Importance: Macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin may improve clinical outcomes in non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis, although associated risks of macrolide resistance are poorly defined.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and antimicrobial resistance cost of low-dose erythromycin given for 12 months to patients with non-CF bronchiectasis with a history of frequent pulmonary exacerbations.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Twelve-month, randomized (1:1), double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of erythromycin in currently nonsmoking, adult patients with non-CF bronchiectasis with a history of 2 or more infective exacerbations in the preceding year.