Jan L. Humphreys

Imported zika virus infection from the cook islands into australia, 2014.

A female resident of Townsville, Queensland, Australia has been diagnosed with Zika virus infection following a recent trip to the Cook Islands. An initial serum sample collected in March, 2014 was positive by two separate Zika virus TaqMan real-time RT-PCRs and a pan-Flavivirus RT-PCR. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetics of the complete Cook Islands Zika virus envelope gene revealed 99.1% homology with a previous Cambodia 2010 sequence within the Asian lineage. In addition, IgG and IgM antibody seroconversions were detected between paired acute and convalescent phase sera using recombinant Zika virus serology assays. This is the first known imported case of Zika virus infection into northern Queensland where the potential mosquito vector Aedes aegypti is present and only the second such reported case diagnosed within Australia.

Multiple outbreaks of dengue serotype 2 in north Queensland, 2003/04

Objectives: To describe the various investigations and responses to multiple outbreaks of dengue serotype 2 that occurred in north Queensland in 2003/04.

Recognising and responding to outbreaks of hepatitis A associated with child day-care centres.

Objectives: To assess the appropriateness of a protocol for recognising and responding to outbreaks of hepatitis A in child day‐care centres and to determine if measles‐mumps‐rubella (MMR) vaccine was given too soon following the administration of normal human immunoglobulin (NIGH) to young children to control the outbreaks.