A cluster of leptospirosis cases associated with crocodile workers in the Northern Territory, Australia, 2022.

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic waterborne disease endemic in tropical and subtropical climates. Outbreaks have been observed in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. We briefly described the epidemiology of leptospirosis in the NT between 2012 and 2022, and undertook an investigation of a cluster of three leptospirosis cases observed in crocodile workers between January and December 2022 in the Top End of the NT.

An outbreak of acute rheumatic fever in a remote Aboriginal community.

Objectives: We describe the public health response to an outbreak of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) in a remote Aboriginal community.

Methods: In August 2021, the Northern Territory Rheumatic Heart Disease Control Program identified an outbreak of acute rheumatic fever in a remote Aboriginal community. A public health response was developed using a modified acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis protocol and the National Acute Rheumatic Fever Guideline for Public Health Units.

Using Genomics to Understand the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases in the Northern Territory of Australia.

The Northern Territory (NT) is a geographically remote region of northern and central Australia. Approximately a third of the population are First Nations Australians, many of whom live in remote regions. Due to the physical environment and climate, and scale of social inequity, the rates of many infectious diseases are the highest nationally.

An outbreak of leptospirosis associated with cattle workers during the wet season, in the Northern Territory of Australia, 2021.

An outbreak of leptospirosis occurred in the Top End of the Northern Territory, Australia, during the wet season in early 2021. There were 14 outbreak cases; most were male (12/14; 86%) and non-Indigenous (13/14; 93%) with a median age of 22 years (range 19-52 years). We conducted a descriptive case series to investigate the outbreak.

Neurosyphilis in the Northern Territory of Australia: a clinical guideline.

Background: The Northern Territory (NT) of Australia is currently experiencing a syphilis epidemic. Neurosyphilis is commonly considered in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with neurologic conditions such as dementia and stroke in the NT.

Aims: To explore the local epidemiologic, diagnostic and treatment complexities of neurosyphilis in the NT and produce a guideline for clinical practice.

Tuberculosis in Australia's tropical north: a population-based genomic epidemiological study.

Background: The Northern Territory (NT) has the highest tuberculosis (TB) rate of all Australian jurisdictions. We combined TB public health surveillance data with genomic sequencing of isolates in the tropical 'Top End' of the NT to investigate trends in TB incidence and transmission.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included all 741 culture-confirmed cases of TB in the Top End over three decades from 1989-2020.

The Darwin Prospective Melioidosis Study: a 30-year prospective, observational investigation.

Background: The global distribution of melioidosis is under considerable scrutiny, with both unmasking of endemic disease in African and Pacific nations and evidence of more recent dispersal in the Americas. Because of the high incidence of disease in tropical northern Australia, The Darwin Prospective Melioidosis Study commenced in October, 1989. We present epidemiology, clinical features, outcomes, and bacterial genomics from this 30-year study, highlighting changes in the past decade.

Physical distancing and non-respiratory notifiable diseases in the Northern Territory, March-May 2020.

Abstract: Strict physical distancing measures and border controls have been introduced in the Northern Territory (NT), and across Australia, to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These measures have been associated with reduced incidence of other respiratory illnesses such as influenza. It is currently unclear what effect these measures have on non-respiratory communicable diseases.

An outbreak of serotype-1 sequence type 306 invasive pneumococcal disease in an Australian Indigenous population.

Between 2010 and 2013, an outbreak of serotype-1 sequence type 306 (ST306) invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) occurred primarily in remote locations of Northern and Central Australia. This is a descriptive study of the epidemiology of the outbreak using nationwide IPD surveillance data, supplemented with more detailed data held by affected jurisdictions, and of the response to the outbreak, including vaccination strategies. In the year the outbreak peaked (2011), serotype-1 IPD incidence was over 30-fold higher in the affected regions than in the rest of Australia (incidence rate ratio: 30.

The first 2 months of COVID-19 contact tracing in the Northern Territory of Australia, March-April 2020.

The Northern Territory (NT) Centre for Disease Control (CDC) undertook contact tracing of all notified cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) within the Territory. There were 28 cases of COVID-19 notified in the NT between 1 March and 30 April 2020. In total 527 people were identified as close contacts over the same period; 493 were successfully contacted; 445 were located in the NT and were subsequently quarantined and monitored for disease symptoms daily for 14 days after contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.

The role of social determinants of health in the risk and prevention of group A streptococcal infection, acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease: A systematic review.

Background: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) poses a major disease burden among disadvantaged populations globally. It results from acute rheumatic fever (ARF), a complication of Group A Streptococcal (GAS) infection. These conditions are acknowledged as diseases of poverty, however the role of specific social and environmental factors in GAS infection and progression to ARF/RHD is not well understood.

An outbreak of salmonellosis associated with duck prosciutto at a Northern Territory restaurant.

In June 2015, an outbreak of salmonellosis occurred among people who had eaten at a restaurant in Darwin, Northern Territory over 2 consecutive nights. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of diners who ate at the restaurant on 19 and 20 June 2015. Diners were telephoned and a questionnaire recorded symptoms and menu items consumed.

Epidemiological investigation of an outbreak of cutaneous sporotrichosis, Northern Territory, Australia.

Background: An outbreak of cutaneous sporotrichosis occurred in the Darwin region of the Northern Territory (NT) in 2014. We aimed to determine the source and risk factors associated with the outbreak and describe the clinical spectrum of cases seen.

Methods: Epidemiological investigation of cases of cutaneous sporotrichosis identified through the Royal Darwin Hospital was undertaken to investigate risk factors and potential sources of infection.

The epidemiology of tuberculosis in children in Australia, 2003-2012.

Objective: To describe the burden of and trends in paediatric tuberculosis (TB) in Australia between 2003 and 2012.

Design: A retrospective analysis of TB data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) on TB in children (under 15 years of age) during the 10-year period, 2003-2012.

Results: TB notifications in Australia during the study period included 538 children (range, 37-66 cases per year), representing 4.

Detection of Mycobacterium leprae by PCR testing of sputa from a patient with pulmonary cryptococcus coinfection in northern Australia.

A case of fever, sepsis, and chest lesions evident on a computed tomography scan of an indigenous man in northern Australia following burns to the feet is described. Sputum PCR testing revealed Mycobacterium leprae, and a fine-needle aspirate of the chest lesions demonstrated Cryptococcus coinfection.

Impact of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in people aged 65 years or older.

Objective: To evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (23vPPV) in ≥ 65-year-old Australians in the context of concurrent 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vPCV) use in infants.

Design, Patients And Setting: Ecological analysis of trends in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) notification rates and vaccine effectiveness estimation using the screening method, using data on Australians aged ≥ 65 years (23vPPV funded) and 50-64 years (23vPPV not funded).

Intervention: National 23vPPV program for people aged ≥ 65 years and national 7vPCV program for infants, both commencing in 2005.

Invasive pneumococcal disease in Australia 2007 and 2008.

Enhanced surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) was conducted in all Australian states and territories in 2007 and 2008 with comprehensive comparative data available since 2002. There were 1,477 cases of IPD notified to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System in Australia in 2007; a notification rate of 7.0 cases per 100,000 population.