Outcomes for people admitted to Australian and New Zealand intensive care units with primary, exacerbating, or incidental SARS-CoV-2 infections, 2022-23: a retrospective analysis of ANZICS data.

Objectives: To compare in-hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay for people admitted to Australian and New Zealand ICUs during 2022-23 with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonitis, incidental or exacerbating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, or without SAR-CoV-2 infections.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study; analysis of Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) Adult Patient Database data.

Setting, Participants: Adults (16 years or older) admitted to participating ICUs in Australia or New Zealand, 1 January 2022 - 30 June 2023.

High rate of conversion from ocular hypertension to glaucoma in subjects with uveitis.

Aims: To examine presentation, management and long-term sequelae of ocular hypertension and uveitic glaucoma.

Methods: Retrospective observational study of all subjects with uveitic glaucoma or ocular hypertension seen in Auckland uveitis clinics over the last 10 years.

Results: A total of 188 eyes of 139 subjects with uveitic glaucoma or ocular hypertension were included for analysis.

Outcome of peripheral iridotomy in subjects with uveitis.

Background/aims: Peripheral iridotomy (PI) may be required in subjects with uveitis to manage iris bombe, seclusio pupillae and primary angle closure glaucoma. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for failure of both laser and surgical PIs in patients with uveitis and determine survival durations.

Methods: Retrospective study of subjects with a history of uveitis undergoing yttrium-aluminium-garnet (YAG) laser or surgical PI at Auckland District Health Board over an 11-year period.

Perinatal immunoprophylaxis in babies born to hepatitis B virus-positive mothers in Queensland Australia: A data linkage study.

Vertical transmission from mother-to-child is an important mode of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, accounting for up to half of all incident cases globally. We evaluated the uptake of HBV neonatal vaccination and immunoglobulin delivery in Queensland, Australia, between 2001 and 2013. We identified HBV-positive mothers using linked notifiable conditions, hospitalisation, and perinatal administrative data.

Arboviral diseases and malaria in Australia, 2014–15: Annual report of the National Arbovirus and Malaria Advisory Committee.

This report describes the epidemiology of mosquito-borne diseases of public health importance in Australia during the 2014–15 season (1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015) and includes data from human notifications, sentinel chicken, vector and virus surveillance programs. The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System received notifications for 12,849 cases of disease transmitted by mosquitoes during the 2014–15 season. The Australasian alphaviruses Barmah Forest virus and Ross River virus accounted for 83% (n=10,723) of notifications.

Mild Illness during Outbreak of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157 Infections Associated with Agricultural Show, Australia.

During a large outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli illness associated with an agricultural show in Australia, we used whole-genome sequencing to detect an IS1203v insertion in the Shiga toxin 2c subunit A gene of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. Our study showed that clinical illness was mild, and hemolytic uremic syndrome was not detected.

Arboviral diseases and malaria in Australia, 2013-14: Annual report of the National Arbovirus and Malaria Advisory Committee.

This report describes the epidemiology of mosquito-borne diseases of public health importance in Australia during the 2013-14 season (1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014) and includes data from human notifications, sentinel chicken, vector and virus surveillance programs. The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System received notifications for 8,898 cases of disease transmitted by mosquitoes during the 2013-14 season. The Australasian alphaviruses Barmah Forest virus and Ross River virus accounted for 6,372 (72%) total notifications.

Potential Exposures to Australian Bat Lyssavirus Notified in Queensland, Australia, 2009-2014.

Background: Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) belongs to the genus Lyssavirus which also includes classic rabies virus and the European lyssaviruses. To date, the only three known human ABLV cases, all fatal, have been reported from Queensland, Australia. ABLV is widely distributed in Australian bats, and any bite or scratch from an Australian bat is considered a potential exposure to ABLV.

Informing the public health management of typhoid and paratyphoid: the Australian context.

Objective: To examine outcomes of public health management of notified enteric fever cases in South-East Queensland over the past five years.

Methods: Notification records of typhoid and paratyphoid infection in South-East Queensland 2008-2012 (inclusive) were reviewed to determine likelihood of cases and contacts adhering to present or previous recommendations for faecal clearance/screening, duration of infectiousness of cases and extent of local transmission to contacts.

Results: Sixty-nine of 85 cases and 218 of 265 contacts submitted at least one faecal specimen.

Long term immunity to live attenuated Japanese encephalitis chimeric virus vaccine: randomized, double-blind, 5-year phase II study in healthy adults.

In a randomized, double-blind study, 202 healthy adults were randomized to receive a live, attenuated Japanese encephalitis chimeric virus vaccine (JE-CV) and placebo 28 days apart in a cross-over design. A subgroup of 98 volunteers received a JE-CV booster at month 6. Safety, immunogenicity, and persistence of antibodies to month 60 were evaluated.

Concomitant or sequential administration of live attenuated Japanese encephalitis chimeric virus vaccine and yellow fever 17D vaccine: randomized double-blind phase II evaluation of safety and immunogenicity.

A randomized, double-blind, study was conducted to evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of a live attenuated Japanese encephalitis chimeric virus vaccine (JE-CV) co-administered with live attenuated yellow fever vaccine (YF-17D strain; Stamaril®, Sanofi Pasteur) or administered successively. Participants (n = 108) were randomized to receive: YF followed by JE-CV 30 days later, JE followed by YF 30 days later, or the co-administration of JE and YF followed or preceded by placebo 30 days later or earlier. Placebo was used in a double-dummy fashion to ensure masking.

Genome-wide association identifies ATOH7 as a major gene determining human optic disc size.

Optic nerve assessment is important for many blinding diseases, with cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) assessments commonly used in both diagnosis and progression monitoring of glaucoma patients. Optic disc, cup, rim area and CDR measurements all show substantial variation between human populations and high heritability estimates within populations. To identify loci underlying these quantitative traits, we performed a genome-wide association study in two Australian twin cohorts and identified rs3858145, P=6.

Primary open angle glaucoma in subjects harbouring the predicted GLC1L haplotype reveals a normotensive phenotype.

Purpose: Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a complex heterogeneous disease. The aim of this study was to describe the POAG phenotype in individuals who harbour the novel GLC1L disease-associated haplotype in a large pedigree where the Myocilin Gln368STOP mutation also segregates.

Methods: The clinical findings from 24 subjects with POAG from the GTAS02 family recruited as part of the Glaucoma Inheritance Study of Tasmania (GIST) were compared relative to genotype status.

Australian military primary care practitioners do not believe clinical practice guidelines are needed for postdeployment medically unexplained symptoms.

In Australia, little research has been undertaken on the development of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to assist with the impact of postdeployment ill-health including medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) and it has been unclear whether such a development is desired by Australian primary care practitioners. In response an empirical investigation into the perceptions and experiences of 24 medical officers from the Australian military with regard to postdeployment ill-health, medically unexplained symptoms, and the potential development of CPGs in this area was undertaken. The analysis suggests that although MUS are accepted as common in general practice they are not perceived by practitioners to be as prevalent in the Australian Defense Forces.

Heritable features of the optic disc: a novel twin method for determining genetic significance.

Purpose: Numerous genetic diseases and environmental stimuli affect optic nerve morphology. The purpose of this study was to identify the principal heritable components of visible optic nerve head structures in a population-based sample of twins.

Methods: Fifteen optic nerve specialists viewed stereoscopic optic nerve head photographs (Stereo Viewer-II; Pentax Corp.

Screening for glaucomatous disc changes prior to diagnosis of glaucoma in myocilin pedigrees.

Objective: To investigate whether structural differences of the optic nerve head are evident in young people who do not have manifest glaucoma but are known to carry myocilin mutations.

Methods: A case-control design was adopted. Subjects from Australian pedigrees known to have either the Gln368STOP myocilin mutation (cutoff age, <40 years) or the Thr377Met myocilin mutation (cutoff age, <30 years) were examined for signs of glaucoma.

Myocilin Gly252Arg mutation and glaucoma of intermediate severity in Caucasian individuals.

Objective: To determine the phenotype of an Australian pedigree with the myocilin (MYOC) Gly252Arg mutation, comparing it with other pedigrees carrying the same mutation.

Methods: All recruited subjects underwent a comprehensive clinical examination, including optic disc assessment, applanation tonometry, and visual field measurement. Mutation analysis was performed through direct sequencing.

The optic nerve head in myocilin glaucoma.

Purpose: Approximately 1 in 30 unselected patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) have a mutation in the myocilin gene. The purpose of this study was to describe the morphologic features of the optic nerve head (ONH) in myocilin glaucoma.

Methods: A case-control design was adopted.

Lack of sex effect on the pharmacokinetics of primaquine.

The pharmacokinetics of primaquine have been well defined in male volunteers, but there is little data on the disposition of the drug in women. We compared the kinetics of primaquine in nine male and nine female healthy Australian volunteers after the administration of a single oral dose (30 mg base) of primaquine. No statistical differences were observed in the following kinetic parameters of primaquine between men and women, respectively: maximum plasma concentration (93 +/- 26 and 115 +/- 38 ng/mL; 95% confidence interval [CI] of the mean difference: -55 to 10 ng/mL; P = 0.

A myocilin Gln368STOP homozygote does not exhibit a more severe glaucoma phenotype than heterozygous cases.

Purpose: To describe the phenotype of an individual homozygous for the common Gln368STOP myocilin mutation and to discuss the other family members.

Design: Cascade screening was performed for Australian families that had been identified as having the myocilin Gln368STOP mutation.

Methods: Recruited subjects underwent comprehensive clinical examination and mutation analysis for the Gln368STOP myocilin mutation by direct sequencing.

Adequate primaquine for vivax malaria.

Background: Treatment of vivax malaria with primaquine prevents the relapse of infection from residual liver stages of the parasite. Inadequate dosage is related to a higher relapse risk.

Methods: A comparison was made of vivax malaria relapse-prevention treatments with primaquine 22.