Christine Selvey

Outcomes from the first 2 years of the Australian National Hand Hygiene Initiative.

Objective: To report outcomes from the first 2 years of the National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI), a hand hygiene (HH) culture‐change program implemented in all Australian hospitals to improve health care workers’ HH compliance, increase use of alcohol‐based hand rub and reduce the risk of health care‐associated infections.

Epidemiology of non-multiresistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in Queensland, Australia: associations with indigenous populations and Panton-Valentine leukocidin

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of the spread of epidemic clones of non-multiresistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (nmMRSA) and the epidemiology of resultant infections throughout the state of Queensland. We collected a sample of clinical isolates of nmMRSA from laboratories serving public hospitals and clinics throughout the state. Three hundred isolates were typed and tested for the presence of Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes and demographic and clinical data were collected from associated cases. Fifteen percent of S. aureus isolates were nmMRSA and 69% of these belonged to PVL-positive clones, predominantly ST93 and CC30. Low numbers of USA300- and USA400-like isolates were also present. Infections due to PVL-positive strains were much less frequently acquired in hospital (3.4%) than those due to PVL-negative nmMRSA (23.7%). Thirty-seven percent of cases were in indigenous people who make up only 3.6% of the general population. The proportion of cases with PVL-positive, but non-negative isolates decreased progressively with age, suggesting that immunity to PVL might be an important determinant of protection. nmMRSA strains are present throughout Queensland and cause infections in both community and healthcare settings.

Acellular pertussis vaccine effectiveness for children during the 2009-2010 pertussis epidemic in Queensland.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of three, four and five doses of acellular pertussis vaccine against pertussis notification for children aged 1 – < 4 years and 5 – < 12 years, and the effectiveness of three doses of acellular pertussis vaccine against pertussis hospitalisation for children aged 1 – < 4 years.

Establishment of a surveillance system (utilising Midwifes Data Collection Systems) for monitoring the impact of hepatitis B vaccination on the population prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Australia.

Objective: To examine how routine hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) testing of antenatal women (as identified on the NT Midwifes Data Collection System) can be used to track the impact of hepatitis B (HBV) vaccination on the prevalence of chronic HBV infection in the Northern Territory (NT).

A systems approach to improving timeliness of immunisation

Timeliness of immunisation is important in achieving a protective effect at the individual and population levels. Recent international research has highlighted the importance of organisational features of the health system in timely immunisation. This paper reports on an analysis of the availability of records of timely delivery of childhood immunisations in Indigenous primary care services and organisational features of vaccination programs in different jurisdictions in Australia. The findings demonstrate wide variation in recorded timely delivery of immunisations between health centres within and between jurisdictions. Significant deficiencies in the approach to delivery and recording of immunisations appear to be principally related to fragmented systems of delivery, recording and communication between child health and primary care services. Understanding these deficiencies presents opportunities for improving timely immunisation.

Is this really an ethical evaluation of HPV vaccination policy in Australia

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 2012 vol. 36 no. 1

Acellular pertussis vaccine effectiveness for children during the 2009-2010 pertussis epidemic in QueenslandAcellular pertussis vaccine effectiveness for children

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of three, four and five doses of acellular pertussis vaccine against pertussis notification for children aged 1 – < 4 years and 5 – < 12 years, and the effectiveness of three doses of acellular pertussis vaccine against pertussis hospitalisation for children aged 1 – < 4 years.

Acellular pertussis vaccine effectiveness for children during the 2009-10 epidemic in Queensland

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of three, four and five doses of acellular pertussis vaccine against pertussis notification for children aged 1 – < 4 years and 5 – < 12 years, and the effectiveness of three doses of acellular pertussis vaccine against pertussis hospitalisation for children aged 1 – < 4 years.

The time has come for an Australian Centre for Disease Control.

Australia is now unique in being the only Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development country without a recognised separate authority for national scientific leadership in communicable disease control. Different nations have different models to deliver this function, but all are composed of professionals with a degree of independence from government, to ensure that there is a clear separation between politically sensitive decision making, and the advice and tools needed to inform best practice from a technical perspective.