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.

Preparing for Ebolavirus disease: specimen collection, packaging and transport.

Ebolavirus is classified by Standards Australia as a Risk Group 4 pathogen for handling in laboratories. Specimens known or reasonably expected to contain Ebolavirus are classified by the United Nations as Dangerous Goods Infectious Substances Category A, UN 2814, which if transported by air must comply with International Air Transport Association (IATA) Hazard Class 6.2 and Packing Instruction 620 and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Regulations.

Pandemic clinical case definitions are non-specific: multiple respiratory viruses circulating in the early phases of the 2009 influenza pandemic in New South Wales, Australia.

Background: During the early phases of the 2009 pandemic, subjects with influenza-like illness only had laboratory testing specific for the new A(H1N1)pdm09 virus.

Findings: Between 25th May and 7th June 2009, during the pandemic CONTAIN phase, A(H1N1)pdm09 virus was detected using nucleic acid tests in only 56 of 1466 (3.8%) samples meeting the clinical case definition required for A(H1N1)pdm09 testing.

One Health in NSW: coordination of human and animal health sector management of zoonoses of public health significance.

Zoonoses of public health significance may occur in wildlife, livestock or companion animals, and may be detected by the human or animal health sectors. Of particular public health interest are foodborne, arboviral and emerging zoonoses (known/unknown, endemic/exotic). A coordinated One Health approach to the management of zoonoses in NSW uses measures including: mutually agreed intersectoral procedures for detection and response; surveillance and notification systems for defined endemic and exotic diseases; joint meetings and exercises to ensure currency of response plans; and intersectoral communication during a response.

Lessons from the NSW laboratory response to pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza.

Procedures undertaken by NSW Health in the laboratory response to pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza were reviewed to assist planning for a future infectious disease emergency. Laboratory plans developed prior to the pandemic sought rapid detection of pandemic virus in the early phases of the pandemic response until demonstration of widespread community transmission, followed then by limited testing when indicated clinically. As planned, the laboratory response was based on the Pandemic Influenza Management System with a web-based outbreak management tool, NetEpi, as the single public health database used for cases and test results.