Journal articles on the topic 'HIV (Viruses) – Australia'
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1
Rhodes, David I., Lesley Ashton, Ajantha Solomon, Andrew Carr, David Cooper, John Kaldor, and Nicholas Deacon. "Characterization of Three nef-Defective Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Strains Associated with Long-Term Nonprogression." Journal of Virology 74, no. 22 (November 15, 2000): 10581–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jvi.74.22.10581-10588.2000.
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ABSTRACT Long-term survivors (LTS) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection provide an opportunity to investigate both viral and host factors that influence the rate of disease progression. We have identified three HIV-1-infected individuals in Australia who have been infected for over 11 years with viruses that contain deletions in the nef and nef-long terminal repeat (nef/LTR) overlap regions. These viruses differ from each other and from other nef-defective strains of HIV-1 previously identified in Australia. One individual, LTS 3, is infected with a virus containing a nef gene with a deletion of 29 bp from the nef/LTR overlap region, resulting in a truncated Nef open reading frame. In addition to the Nef defect, only viruses containing truncated Vif open reading frames of 37 or 69 amino acids could be detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from this patient. LTS 3 had a viral load of less than 20 copies of RNA/ml of plasma. The other two long-term survivors, LTS 9 and LTS 11, had loads of less than 200 copies of RNA/ml of plasma and are infected with viruses with larger deletions in both thenef alone and nef/LTR overlap regions. These viruses contain wild-type vif, vpu, andvpr accessory genes. All three strains of virus had envelope sequences characteristic of macrophagetropic viruses. These findings further indicate the reduced pathogenic potential ofnef-defective viruses.
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Ghimire, Hallett, Gray, Lobo, and Crawford. "What Works? Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Blood-Borne Viruses in Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia Living in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 7 (April 10, 2019): 1287. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16071287.
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Migration is a significant risk factor for the acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). An increasing proportion of these infections in high-income countries, such as Australia, are among migrants moving from low and middle-income countries with a high prevalence of HIV, HBV and other STIs. This systematic review explored the prevention and control of HIV, HBV and other STIs in migrants (>18 years) from Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa living in high-income countries with universal health care. This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO. Six academic databases were searched for articles published between 2002 and 2018. Sixteen peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria, consisting of fourteen quantitative and two qualitative studies conducted in Australia, the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, Italy, and Germany. Three levels of interventions were identified: individual, community and structural interventions. Most studies addressed factors at an individual level; interventions were most commonly outreach testing for HIV, HBV and other STIs. Few studies addressed structural factors or demonstrated comprehensive evaluation of interventions. Limited population-specific findings could be determined. To prevent further transmission of HIV, HBV and other STIs, comprehensive public health approaches must consider the complex interactions between migration, health care system determinants, and broader socioeconomic and sociocultural factors.
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Lawrence, Chris G., Patrick Rawstorne, Peter Hull, Andrew E. Grulich, Scott Cameron, and Garrett P. Prestage. "Risk behaviour among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander gay men: comparisons with other gay men in Australia." Sexual Health 3, no. 3 (2006): 163. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sh05053.
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Objectives: To determine any differences in HIV-risk and drug-use behaviour among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander gay men and other gay men in Australia. Methods: The Gay Community Periodic Survey is a repeated cross-sectional prevalence study of the sexual and drug use behaviours of Australian gay men conducted since 1996. Responses from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) gay men were compared with those from non-ATSI gay men for the years 2000–2004. Results: Of 34 708 responses collected in major Australian cities over a 6-year period, 1208 identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. There was little difference between ATSI and non-ATSI men in the reported prevalence of HIV, though ATSI gay men were more likely than non-ATSI gay men to engage in unprotected anal intercourse with casual partners and to inject illicit drugs but were more likely to have been recently tested for HIV. Conclusions: These ATSI gay men were at increased risk of HIV and other blood-borne viruses, though this may be due to differences in socio-economic status as much as cultural background. These findings indicate the continued need for targeted sexual and injecting-drug-use health interventions among this population.
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Thng, Caroline Chun Mei. "A Review of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Australia – Considerations in 2018." Academic Forensic Pathology 8, no. 4 (December 2018): 938–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1925362118821492.
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Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) bear a high burden of disease and, subsequently, high health costs globally. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis contribute to nearly one million infections every day worldwide. Sexually transmitted infections continue to be the most frequently notified condition to the Australian National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System and the numbers continue to increase. Australia has achieved several significant successes in reducing STIs and blood-borne viruses (BBV) including the significant decrease in genital warts in those less than 30 years old since 2007 following the launch of human papillomavirus vaccines in women, the virtual elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, and the increased uptake of successful hepatitis C treatment following the availability of direct acting antiviral treatment on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. However, several challenges remain, including the ongoing rise of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis over the last five years; the emergence of antibiotic resistance; and the increasing disparity in the prevalence of STIs and BBV in men who have sex with men, young people, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and challenges in the delivery of services to rural and remote Australia. In this paper, we aim to provide a snapshot of the current landscape and challenges for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, mycoplasma, syphilis and HIV infections in Australia.
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Goller, Jane L., Rebecca J. Guy, Judy Gold, Megan S. C. Lim, Carol El-Hayek, Mark A. Stoove, Isabel Bergeri, et al. "Establishing a linked sentinel surveillance system for blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections: methods, system attributes and early findings." Sexual Health 7, no. 4 (2010): 425. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sh09116.
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Objective: To describe the attributes and key findings from implementation of a new blood-borne virus (BBV) and sexually transmissible infection (STI) sentinel surveillance system based on routine testing at clinical sites in Victoria, Australia. Methods: The Victorian Primary Care Network for Sentinel Surveillance (VPCNSS) on BBV and STI was established in 2006 at 17 sites. Target populations included men who have sex with men (MSM), young people and injecting drug users (IDU). Sites collected demographic and risk behaviour information electronically or using paper surveys from patients undergoing routine HIV or STI (syphilis, chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis)) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing. These data were linked with laboratory results. Results: Between April 2006 and June 2008, data were received for 67 466 tests and 52 042 questionnaires. In clinics providing electronic data, >90% of individuals tested for HIV, syphilis and chlamydia had risk behaviour information collected. In other clinics, survey response rates were >85% (HIV), 43.5% (syphilis), 42.7–66.5% (chlamydia) and <20% (HCV). Data completeness was >85% for most core variables. Over time, HIV, syphilis and chlamydia testing increased in MSM, and chlamydia testing declined in females (P = 0.05). The proportion of positive tests among MSM was 1.9% for HIV and 2.1% for syphilis. Among 16–24-year-olds, the proportion positive for chlamydia was 10.7% in males and 6.9% in females. Among IDU, 19.4% of HCV tests were antibody positive. Conclusions: The VPCNSS has collected a large, rich dataset through which testing, risk behaviours and the proportion positive can be monitored in high-risk groups, offering a more comprehensive BBV and STI surveillance system for Victoria. Building system sustainability requires an ongoing focus.
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Kwan, Kellie S. H., Carolien M. Giele, Barry Combs, and Donna B. Mak. "Improvement in antenatal testing for sexually transmissible infections and blood-borne viruses in Western Australian hospitals, 2007 to 2010." Sexual Health 9, no. 4 (2012): 349. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sh11151.
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Objective Antenatal testing for specified sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and blood-borne viruses (BBVs) is recommended by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG). In 2007, the Department of Health, Western Australia (DoHWA) issued an operational directive (OD) recommending universal testing for chlamydia and additional testing for women in the STI endemic regions of Western Australia (WA). To assess adherence to these guidelines, seven WA public hospitals were audited. Design and setting: Demographic details and testing information of the last 200 women who gave birth immediately before 30 June 2007 (baseline audit) and 30 June 2010 (follow-up audit) were obtained from each hospital’s antenatal records. Results: Data from 2718 women who delivered at ≥36 weeks’ gestation were analysed (baselinen = 1353; follow-upn = 1365). Testing at the first antenatal visit in accordance with the guidelines improved over time (RANZCOG: 68–74%; χ2-test = 13.96, d.f. = 1, P < 0.001; DoHWA OD: 12–40%; χ2-test = 279.71, d.f. = 1, P < 0.001). Retesting at 28–36 weeks’ gestation in the STI endemic regions improved for chlamydia (3–10%; χ2-test = 17.40, d.f. = 1, P < 0.001) and gonorrhoea (3–7%; χ2-test = 6.62, d.f. = 1, P < 0.05), but not for syphilis or HIV. Chlamydia prevalence was 3% and 8% among nonAboriginal and Aboriginal women, respectively. Conclusion: The proportion of women delivering in WA public hospitals who had antenatal STI and BBV tests improved after publication and promotion of the OD.
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Hellard, M. E., and C. K. Aitken. "HIV in prison: what are the risks and what can be done?" Sexual Health 1, no. 2 (2004): 107. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sh03018.
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Prisons are recognised worldwide as important sites for transmission of blood-borne viruses (BBVs). There are two reasons why transmission risks in prison are higher than in the community. First, in most western countries, many prison entrants have histories of injecting drug use, and thus already have high prevalences of BBVs. Second, the lack or under-supply of preventive measures (such as clean needle and syringes or condoms) in most prisons, combined with extreme social conditions, creates extra opportunities for BBV transmission. HIV prevalence in prisoners in more developed countries ranges from 0.2% in Australia to over 10% in some European nations. There are case reports of HIV being transmitted by sharing injecting equipment and sexual activity. Tattooing has been reported as a risk factor for the transmission of BBVs in prison. Access to condoms and needle and syringe programmes in prisons is extremely limited, despite success when they have been introduced. The vast majority of prison inmates are incarcerated for only a few months before returning to the community, thus they are, over the long term, more appropriately regarded as ‘citizens’ than ‘prisoners’. Public health policy must involve all sections of the community, including prison inmates, if we are to reduce transmission of HIV and other BBVs.
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Yap, Lorraine, Juliet Richters, Tony Butler, Karen Schneider, Kristie Kirkwood, and Basil Donovan. "Sexual practices and dental dam use among women prisoners - a mixed methods study." Sexual Health 7, no. 2 (2010): 170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sh09138.
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Background: Dental dams have been distributed to women prisoners for protection against HIV and other sexually transmissible infections (STIs) in some Canadian and Australian prisons for over a decade. However, we do not know whether they serve any useful public health purpose. Objective: To determine how dental dams are used in women’s prisons in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Method: Using quantitative and qualitative methods, we investigated women’s sexual practices with a focus on how dental dams are used in NSW prisons. Results: Although 71 of the 199 (36%) women reported having had sex with another inmate, with oral sex involved in most encounters, only eight (4%) had ever used a dental dam. The main sources of STI transmission risk among women prisoners were oral sex, manual sex and sharing dildos. Furthermore, sharing razors could also allow the transmission of blood-borne viruses, which could occur during sex in the presence of cuts or menstrual fluid. The high rates of hepatitis B and C among incarcerated women compound this risk. Conclusion: Dental dams are not widely used by women prisoners and we question their utility in women’s prisons. Oral sex is an important risk factor for acquisition of herpes simplex virus type 1, but most women in NSW prisons (89%) are already infected. Condoms and latex gloves may have more use. Condoms could be used as a barrier on shared dildos and sex toys, while latex gloves could be used to protect cut and grazed hands from vaginal and menstrual fluids.
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Di Ciaccio, Pietro R., Fengyi Jin, Matthew Law, Marina Van Leeuwen, Andrew Grulich, Janaki Amin, Claire Vajdic, Skye McGregor, and Mark N. Polizzotto. "The Role of Lymphomas in Subsequent Primary Cancers in People with HIV/AIDS: An Australian National Population-Based Data Linkage Study." Blood 136, Supplement 1 (November 5, 2020): 32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2020-139012.
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Background Despite combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), the incidence of lymphomas remains elevated in persons with HIV/AIDS (PWHA). While the risk of subsequent primary cancers (SPCs) in the general population is well understood, these data are lacking for PWHA. Underlying aetiologic factors in PWHA, including oncogenic viruses and immunodeficiency, may have a differential impact on SPCs. We conducted a nationwide data linkage study in order to examine the role of lymphoma in SPCs in PWHA in two ways. First, we determined the incidence of and risk factors for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (including chronic lymphocytic leukaemia) in PWHA previously diagnosed with an initial cancer of any type. Second, we assessed the incidence and features of SPCs of any type in PWHA after a primary HL or NHL. Methods Since 1982 Australia has had compulsory disease notification of all new HIV infections and all invasive cancers. We conducted a probabilistic data linkage study between the Australian National HIV Registry, the Australian Cancer Database and National Death Index to identify PWHA diagnosed with an initial cancer, followed by at least one SPC between 1982 and 2012. Follow up commenced from 90 days post the date of first cancer diagnosis at or following HIV diagnosis, and ended on 31 December 2012 or death, whichever came earlier. A SPC was defined as a cancer of diverse site and histology to the first cancer and diagnosed more than 90 days later (in order to mitigate ascertainment bias). The incidence of SPC was compared using Poisson regression. Risk factors considered included: age, sex, HIV exposure modality (such as male-to-male, intravenous drug, etc.) and CD4+ cell count at HIV diagnosis (<50, 50-199, 200-499, >500 cells/µL). Incidence was also compared across various eras corresponding to HIV treatment advances: 1982-1995 (pre-cART); 1996-1999 (early-cART); 2000-2004 (availability of protease inhibitors for HIV); and, 2005-2012 (availability of fusion inhibitors for HIV and rituximab for CD20-positive lymphomas). Results Out of 28,696 PWHA, 3,548 were identified with a first cancer. Among them, 229 SPCs were identified over 27,398 person-years (PY) of follow-up. The crude incidence of SPCs was 8.36 per 1000 PY (95% CI 7.34-9.51). Of 229 SPCs, 88 were lymphomas, comprising 42 diffuse large B cell, 4 Burkitt, 3 T cell, 2 primary effusion, 3 low grade lymphomas and 5 HLs; 29 NHLs were not sub-classified in the Database. The majority of first cancers in the group with SPCs were Kaposi sarcoma (KS) (55%). The incidence of lymphoma as an SPC decreased from 8.10 to 0.79 per 1000 PY from 1982-1995 to 2005-2012 (p=0.003). Median time from first cancer diagnosis to the diagnosis of a lymphoma SPC was 2.0 years (interquartile range (IQR): 0.8-4.0). Median age at diagnosis of a lymphoma SPC was 39 years (IQR: 34-49). The risk of a lymphoma SPC decreased with older age, from 10.68 per 1000 PY in those under 35 to 1.28 per 1000 PY in those above 55 (p=0.003). CD4 count at HIV diagnosis and HIV exposure modality were not associated with the risk of a lymphoma SPC. The incidence of a SPC after lymphoma as a first cancer (n=39) was 5.60 per 1000 PY, versus 9.30 per 1000 PY when the first cancer was not lymphoma (n=190, p=0.004). KS was the most common SPC after an initial lymphoma (49% of cases). Only two myeloid SPCs occurred. Median time to diagnosis of SPC after an initial lymphoma was 2.6 years (IQR: 1.1-6.7). Risk of a SPC after a first lymphoma increased significantly from 4.12 per 1000 person-years in those diagnosed with HIV in the 1982-1995 pre-cART era, to 33.15 per 1000 person-years in patients diagnosed with HIV between 2009-2012 (p=0.005). Conclusion The incidence and spectrum of SPC in PWHA is increasingly important as overall and cancer-specific survival of these patients continues to improve. The incidence of lymphomas as SPC in PWHA has decreased over time, which may be a function of improved HIV treatment and reduced susceptibility to immunosuppression-related lymphoma. However, PWHA diagnosed with lymphoma as a first cancer are experiencing increasing incidence of SPCs, occurring after relatively short intervals. Longer survival is likely contributing to this effect. Importantly, therapy-related cancers do not appear prominent, suggesting HIV-specific factors may play a role. These findings emphasise the importance of SPC surveillance tailored to this special population. Disclosures Di Ciaccio: Janssen: Honoraria.
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Brazzale, Anthony G., Darren B. Russell, Anthony L. Cunningham, Janette Taylor, and William J. H. McBride. "Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 among the Indigenous population of Cape York, Far North Queensland, Australia." Sexual Health 7, no. 4 (2010): 453. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sh09098.
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Background: The objective of this study was to obtain representative seroprevalence data for the Indigenous population of Far North Queensland by measuring the age- and sex-specific seroprevalence of the herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2) in Cape York. Methods: A cross-sectional seroprevalence study was conducted using de-identified serum samples collected from Indigenous patients living in Cape York, aged 16 years or older, who sought medical care between August 2007 and May 2008. An age- and sex-stratified random sample of 270 sera was tested for the presence of antibodies to HSV-1 and HSV-2 using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Indeterminate results were resolved with western blot. Results: The overall seroprevalence for the Indigenous population of Cape York was 97.8% for HSV-1 and 58.5% for HSV-2. There was a statistically significant difference in HSV-2 seroprevalence according to sex (P < 0.001). Females were more likely to be HSV-2 seropositive compared with males (72.1% and 43.8%, respectively). Conclusions: This is the first study to report on the seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 among the Indigenous population of Cape York. This study has identified a population with an extremely high prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection. The seroprevalence of HSV-2 in this population was found to be five times higher than that reported for the general adult Australian population. These results will be invaluable to the implementation of appropriate prevention and control strategies against HSV infection and are especially important considering the strong association between HSV-2 and the acquisition and transmission of HIV.
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Bilic, Ivana, Barbara Jaskulska, Ana Basic, Chris J. Morrow, and Michael Hess. "Sequence analysis and comparison of avian hepatitis E viruses from Australia and Europe indicate the existence of different genotypes." Journal of General Virology 90, no. 4 (April 1, 2009): 863–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.007179-0.
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Avian hepevirus infections were detected in chickens suffering from big liver and spleen disease or hepatitis–splenomegaly syndrome in Australia, the USA and Europe. Available data indicate their genetic relationship to mammalian hepatitis E virus (HEV). In the present study, the near-complete genomic sequences of an Australian and a European isolate of avian hepatitis E virus (avian HEV) are reported for the first time. Furthermore, the phylogenetic relationship to other avian HEVs is determined. Sequence analyses of these isolates identified major genetic differences among avian HEVs. Most of them are located within the open reading frame (ORF)1 region, although only a few lie within conserved motifs of predicted domains. Non-silent mutations in the ORF2 region suggest the presence of potentially different epitopes among avian HEV isolates. Finally, phylogenetic analysis confirmed the distant relationship to mammalian HEV and additionally suggested that the avian HEVs can be separated into three different genotypes: 1 (Australia), 2 (USA) and 3 (Europe), indicating a geographical distribution pattern.
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Olsen, Anna, Meredith Temple-Smith, and Cathy Banwell. "Consideration of gender in diagnosis and management of blood-borne viruses: the case of hepatitis C." Australian Journal of Primary Health 19, no. 2 (2013): 124. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py11127.
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Gender-sensitive health education and clinical management are key components of successful care for people living with chronic illness, yet there is little research available on the specific needs of women living with hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection. This paper reports on a qualitative investigation of HCV diagnosis, symptoms, health care and wellbeing among 109 women living with HCV in two major cities in Australia. Women’s experiences of HCV reflect several gender-specific needs around diagnosis, reproductive health and psycho-social wellbeing. Personal relationships were central to women’s experiences of health and health care and remained dominant in their considerations for the future. Particularly because women are more likely than men to be responsible for family, we highlight the need to consider the social issues of stigma, poverty and drug use when caring for Australian women living with HCV.
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Amaya, Moushimi, and Christopher C. Broder. "Vaccines to Emerging Viruses: Nipah and Hendra." Annual Review of Virology 7, no. 1 (September 29, 2020): 447–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-virology-021920-113833.
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Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) are bat-borne zoonotic para-myxoviruses identified in the mid- to late 1990s in outbreaks of severe disease in livestock and people in Australia and Malaysia, respectively. HeV repeatedly re-emerges in Australia while NiV continues to cause outbreaks in South Asia (Bangladesh and India), and these viruses have remained transboundary threats. In people and several mammalian species, HeV and NiV infections present as a severe systemic and often fatal neurologic and/or respiratory disease. NiV stands out as a potential pandemic threat because of its associated high case-fatality rates and capacity for human-to-human transmission. The development of effective vaccines, suitable for people and livestock, against HeV and NiV has been a research focus. Here, we review the progress made in NiV and HeV vaccine development, with an emphasis on those approaches that have been tested in established animal challenge models of NiV and HeV infection and disease.
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Halpin, Kim, and David N. Durrheim. "The dynamic landscape of bat borne zoonotic viruses in Australia." Microbiology Australia 41, no. 1 (2020): 6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ma20003.
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This review discusses the history, epidemiology, diagnostics, clinical presentation in humans, as well as control and prevention measures, of the high-profile viruses Hendra virus (HeV) and Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV). Since the discovery of HeV and ABLV in the 1990s, these viruses have only caused disease in areas where spill-over hosts, including humans, encounter the reservoir host.
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Wilkinson, David A., and David TS Hayman. "Bat and virus ecology in a dynamic world." Microbiology Australia 38, no. 1 (2017): 33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ma17011.
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The emergence of infectious diseases caused by bat-associated viruses has had a devastating and wide-reaching effect on human populations. These viruses include lyssaviruses such as rabies virus, the filoviruses, Ebola (EBOV) and Marburg virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus, and the paramyxoviruses, Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV)1. As a result bats have been the focus of substantial research (Fig. 1) and certain cellular and physiological traits of bats are hypothesised to lead to ‘special’ bat-virus associations2,3 (but see Han et al.4). The anthropogenic changes in the world we live will influence human health5, including through their impact on bat ecology and the viruses within bat populations. Australian people and livestock have been infected by novel bat viruses, such as HeV, Menangle viruses (MenV) and Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV), and are at the forefront of both epidemiological and virological research efforts into cross-species transmission events (spillover): here we put some of those efforts and the potential impacts of anthropogenic changes on bat-virus ecology under the microscope.
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Lenton, Emily, Jen Johnson, and Graham Brown. "Upscaling HIV and hepatitis C testing in primary healthcare settings: stigma-sensitive practice." Australian Journal of Primary Health 27, no. 4 (2021): 255. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py20176.
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Increasing testing for viral hepatitis and HIV is central to meeting World Health Organization and Australian targets to eliminate blood-borne viruses as public health priorities by 2030. In this paper we draw on findings and recommendations from a Victorian consultation with 40 health and community practitioners engaged with blood-borne virus testing. The consultation focused on identifying what constitutes best practice in pre- and post-testing discussion in the current era of highly effective treatments for HIV and hepatitis C. Overall, the consultation found that the pre- and post-test discussion remains an important feature of testing, but, given that stigma continues to impact the lives of people affected by these viruses, sensitivity to this issue needs to inform how these discussions take place. We describe how primary healthcare settings can support the goal of upscaling HIV and hepatitis C testing in a way that delivers safe and stigma-free testing encounters. We offer the notion of ‘stigma-sensitive practice’ as a term to describe this approach to pre- and post-test discussions.
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Wylie, B. R. "Transfusion Transmitted Infection: Viral and Exotic Diseases." Anaesthesia and Intensive Care 21, no. 1 (February 1993): 24–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0310057x9302100109.
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Viral and other exotic diseases may be transmitted by blood transfusion. These infections include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, D and E), syphilis, malaria, retrovirus HTLV-1, and cytomegalovirus. Other more exotic diseases which may be transmitted by transfusion of blood or blood components include Chagas’ disease (Trypanosomiasis cruzi), Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), and Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease. Screening procedures currently used in Australian blood banks minimise transfusion-transmitted infection. The risk of acquiring any infection in this manner may be less than 0.1%.
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Bowden, Francis J., Elissa J. O'Keefe, Ruth Primrose, and Marian J. Currie. "Sexually transmitted infections, blood-borne viruses and risk behaviour in an Australian senior high school population—the SHLiRP study." Sexual Health 2, no. 4 (2005): 229. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sh05014.
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Objectives: To determine the feasibility and acceptability of screening for sexually transmitted infections and blood-borne viruses and to study the profile of sexual activity and other risk behaviours in a senior high school population. Methods: In this descriptive study we provided sexual health education and screening to students from two senior high schools in the Australian Capital Territory. We collected behavioural data using a self-administered questionnaire. Urines and swabs were tested for Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), Neisseria gonorrhoea (Ng), Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv) and human papilloma virus (HPV). Blood specimens were tested for hepatitis B and C, HIV, herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2) and syphilis. Results: A total of 795 students participated (31% of the enrolled population; female to male ratio 60 : 40) and 67.0% were sexually active. Of 795 students, 644 (81.0%) were screened. Rates of infection were Ct 1.1% (95% CI: 0.4–2.6), HPV 11.7% (95% CI: 7.4–17.3), HSV-1 32.5% (95% CI: 28.9–36.3), HSV-2 2.4% (95% CI: 1.3–3.9), hepatitis B surface antigen 0.3% (95% CI: 0.04–1.1) and hepatitis C antibodies 0.7% (95% CI: 0.07–1.6). Only 22.3% (95% CI: 19.3–25.7) of students had immunity to hepatitis B. There were no cases of HIV, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis or syphilis. Of the sexually active students, 49.2% (95% CI: 38.9–59.2%) reported never or only sometimes using condoms, 41.5% (95% CI: 32.2–52.3%) reported unsafe drinking, 33.3% (95% CI: 23.9–43.1%) were smokers and 1.9% (95% CI: 0.2–7.0%) reported injecting drug use. Conclusions: Rates of STI and blood-borne viruses and immunity to hepatitis B were low in this population, but unsafe sex and other risk behaviours were common. We have demonstrated that STI screening, including serological testing, was well accepted in a senior high school population.
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Kai, Chieko, and Misako Yoneda. "Henipavirus Infections - An Expanding Zoonosis from Fruit Bats." Journal of Disaster Research 6, no. 4 (August 1, 2011): 390–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jdr.2011.p0390.
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The henipavirus genus has two members – the Hendra virus (HeV) and the Nipah virus (NiV). HeV and NiV, identified in the 1990s as a paramyxovirus, cause fatalities in humans and animals. They are now classified as biosafety level 4 pathogens. HeV caused fatal respiratory infection in horses and humans in Australia in 1994, in which 2 persons died. The first-known, largest NiV outbreak occurred on theMalay Peninsula in 1998, in pigs and humans. The human fatality rate was 40%, killing 105. To cope, the Malaysian government culled over 1 million pigs at huge economic loss. The natural virus reservoir, the fruit bat (Pteropus), inhabits areas from Australia, through South Asia to Africa. InMalaysia, NiV to humans was through pigs, and the reemergence has never observed after that. However, sporadic outbreaks of NiV are continuously occurring in Bangladesh and India, in some of which epidemics human mortality exceeds 75%. The transmission is directly from fruit bats to humans, and even human-to-human transmissions are found. To prevent the outbreaks, it is important to have an intense monitoring for these diseases, to accumulate basic knowledge about the viruses and the diseases, and to develop effective vaccines.
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Wang, Lin-Fa, Meng Yu, Eric Hansson, L. Ian Pritchard, Brian Shiell, Wojtek P. Michalski, and Bryan T. Eaton. "The Exceptionally Large Genome of Hendra Virus: Support for Creation of a New Genus within the FamilyParamyxoviridae." Journal of Virology 74, no. 21 (November 1, 2000): 9972–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jvi.74.21.9972-9979.2000.
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ABSTRACT An outbreak of acute respiratory disease in Hendra, a suburb of Brisbane, Australia, in September 1994 resulted in the deaths of 14 racing horses and a horse trainer. The causative agent was a new member of the family Paramyxoviridae. The virus was originally called Equine morbillivirus but was renamed Hendra virus (HeV) when molecular characterization highlighted differences between it and members of the genusMorbillivirus. Less than 5 years later, the closely relatedNipah virus (NiV) emerged in Malaysia, spread rapidly through the pig population, and caused the deaths of over 100 people. We report the characterization of the HeV L gene and protein, the genome termini, and gene boundary sequences, thus completing the HeV genome sequence. In the highly conserved region of the L protein, the HeV sequence GDNE differs from the GDNQ found in almost all other nonsegmented negative-strand (NNS) RNA viruses. HeV has an absolutely conserved intergenic trinucleotide sequence, 3′-GAA-5′, and highly conserved transcription initiation and termination sequences similar to those of respiroviruses and morbilliviruses. The large genome size (18,234 nucleotides), the unique complementary genome terminal sequences of HeV, and the limited homology with other members of theParamyxoviridae suggest that HeV, together with NiV, should be classified in a new genus in this family. The large genome of HeV also fills a gap in the spectrum of genome sizes observed with NNS RNA virus genomes. As such, it provides a further piece in the puzzle of NNS RNA virus evolution.
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Haqshenas, G., F. F. Huang, M. Fenaux, D. K. Guenette, F. W. Pierson, C. T. Larsen, H. L. Shivaprasad, T. E. Toth, and X. J. Meng. "The putative capsid protein of the newly identified avian hepatitis E virus shares antigenic epitopes with that of swine and human hepatitis E viruses and chicken big liver and spleen disease virus." Journal of General Virology 83, no. 9 (September 1, 2002): 2201–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-83-9-2201.
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We recently identified a novel virus, designated avian hepatitis E virus (avian HEV), from chickens with hepatitis–splenomegaly (HS) syndrome in the USA. We showed that avian HEV is genetically related to swine and human HEVs. Here we report the antigenic cross-reactivity of the putative open reading frame 2 (ORF2) capsid protein of avian HEV with those of swine and human HEVs and the Australian chicken big liver and spleen disease virus (BLSV). The region encoding the C-terminal 268 amino acid residues of avian HEV ORF2 was cloned into expression vector pRSET-C. The truncated ORF2 protein was expressed in E. coli as a fusion protein and purified by affinity chromatography. Western blot analysis revealed that the avian HEV ORF2 protein reacted with antisera against the Sar-55 strain of human HEV and with convalescent antisera against swine HEV and the US2 strain of human HEV, as well as with antiserum against BLSV. Convalescent sera from specific-pathogen-free chickens experimentally infected with avian HEV also reacted with the recombinant capsid proteins of swine HEV and Sar-55 human HEV. Antisera against the US2 human HEV also reacted with recombinant ORF2 proteins of both swine HEV and Sar-55 human HEV. The antigenic cross-reactivity of the avian HEV putative capsid protein with those of swine and human HEVs was further confirmed, for the most part, by ELISA assays. The data indicate that avian HEV shares certain antigenic epitopes in its putative capsid protein with swine and human HEVs, as well as with BLSV. The results have implications for HEV diagnosis and taxonomy.
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Molinari Darold, Gabriela, Glaucenyra Cecília Pinheiro da Silva, Átila Insfran Ocampos, Lorraine Gabriela Trettene, Daniella Aparecida Godoi Kemper, and Michele Lunardi. "Henipavírus: Paramixovírus Zoonóticos, Emergentes e Letais." Ensaios e Ciência C Biológicas Agrárias e da Saúde 25, no. 2 (June 29, 2021): 136–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.17921/1415-6938.2021v25n2p136-143.
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Hendra henipavírus (HeV) e Nipah henipavírus (NiV) são membros do gênero Henipavirus, pertencente à família Paramyxoviridae, sendo classificados como patógenos de nível de biossegurança 4, em função de sua alta capacidade em causar doença letal em seres humanos associada à constituição genética única, carência de terapia e profilaxia específicas. O reservatório natural destes vírus são os morcegos pertencentes ao gênero Pteropus, encontrados em regiões que se estendem do Pacífico Ocidental à Costa Leste da África. O desmatamento é um dos responsáveis pela saída dos morcegos de seus nichos ecológicos e aproximação de fazendas e vilarejos. Novos casos de infecção pelo HeV em cavalos continuam ocorrendo na Austrália, enquanto o NiV é responsável por surtos anuais em humanos, desde 2001, na Índia e Bangladesh. O NiV, em particular, possui vários recursos que destacam seu potencial como ameaça pandêmica, incluindo sua capacidade de infectar humanos diretamente, a partir de reservatórios naturais, além de uma capacidade limitada de transmissão entre seres humanos. Apesar disso, atualmente, pouco se sabe sobre os mecanismos pelos quais os morcegos abrigam vírus capazes de causar doenças tão graves em outros mamíferos terrestres. A presente revisão traz informações relevantes para o entendimento sobre a epidemiologia destas viroses, a patogenia nas espécies suscetíveis, bem como a importância destes vírus nas espécies domésticas, principalmente, nos equídeos. Palavras-chave: Hendra Vírus. Nipah Vírus. Morcegos. Equinos. Suínos. Abstract Hendra henipavirus (HeV) and Nipah henipavirus (NiV) are members of the genus Henipavirus, belonging to the family Paramyxoviridae, being classified as biosafety level 4 pathogens, due to their high capacity to cause lethal disease in humans associated with their unique genetic constitution, lack of specific therapy and prophylaxis. Bats belonging to the genus Pteropus, found in regions that extend from the Western Pacific to the East coast of Africa, are natural reservoir of such viruses. Deforestation is one of the factors responsible for the bats’ leaving their ecological niches and their adaptation to farms and villages. New cases of HeV infection in horses continue to occur in Australia while NiV has been responsible for annual human outbreaks since 2001 in India and Bangladesh. NiV has several features that highlight its potential as a pandemic threat, including its ability to infect humans directly from natural reservoirs, as well as a limited capacity for transmission between humans. Despite this, little is currently known about the mechanisms by which bats harbor viruses capable of causing serious diseases in other terrestrial mammals. This review provides relevant information for understanding the epidemiology of these viruses, the pathogenesis in susceptible species, as well as the importance of these viruses in domestic species, especially in horses. Keywords: Hendra Virus. Nipah Virus. Bats. Horses. Pigs.
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White, Peter A., Xinyan Zhai, Ian Carter, Yue Zhao, and William D. Rawlinson. "Simplified Hepatitis C Virus Genotyping by Heteroduplex Mobility Analysis." Journal of Clinical Microbiology 38, no. 2 (2000): 477–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jcm.38.2.477-482.2000.
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Heteroduplex mobility analysis (HMA) was used to genotype hepatitis C viruses (HCV) with PCR fragments derived from the 5′ untranslated region (5′-UTR) or the NS5b region. HCV 5′-UTR fragments were amplified from 296 serum samples by use of a combined reverse transcription-PCR assay, and the genotypes of isolates were determined by sequencing. HCV genotype distributions in Australia were 39% for genotype 1a, 15% for 1b, 3% for 1a/b, <1% for 2a/c, 5% for 2b, 34% for 3a, <1% for 3b, and 1% for 4, and 1% of patients were infected with more than one genotype. Pairwise HMA of subtypes 1a, 1b, 2a/c, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, and 6a demonstrated that five distinct heteroduplex patterns were formed between the eight subtypes. A reference panel that contained a representative of each pattern (1a, 2b, 3a, 4a, and 6a) was used for genotyping. The pattern of heteroduplexes formed when a test isolate was mixed with the five reference isolates was correlated with the genotype, as determined by sequencing. Genotypes determined by HMA correlated exactly with sequencing results within the groups 1, 2, 3a, 3b/4, and 6. HMA was also used to simplify the identification of mixed infection with two HCV genotypes. In further studies, with amplicons from the NS5b region, HMA classified isolates into their respective subtypes, and the heteroduplex mobility ratio correlated closely with nucleotide sequence variation at the isolate, subtype, and genotype levels. HMA provides an adaptable, inexpensive, and rapid method of genotyping HCV that requires fewer resources than DNA sequencing.
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Porter, Kate, Sen-Lin Tang, Chung-Pin Chen, Pei-Wen Chiang, Mei-Jhu Hong, and Mike Dyall-Smith. "PH1: An Archaeovirus ofHaloarcula hispanicaRelated to SH1 and HHIV-2." Archaea 2013 (2013): 1–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/456318.
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Halovirus PH1 infectsHaloarcula hispanicaand was isolated from an Australian salt lake. The burst size in single-step growth conditions was 50–100 PFU/cell, but cell density did not decrease until well after the rise (4–6 hr p.i.), indicating that the virus could exit without cell lysis. Virions were round, 51 nm in diameter, displayed a layered capsid structure, and were sensitive to chloroform and lowered salt concentration. The genome is linear dsDNA, 28,064 bp in length, with 337 bp terminal repeats and terminal proteins, and could transfect haloarchaeal species belonging to five different genera. The genome is predicted to carry 49 ORFs, including those for structural proteins, several of which were identified by mass spectroscopy. The close similarity of PH1 to SH1 (74% nucleotide identity) allowed a detailed description and analysis of the differences (divergent regions) between the two genomes, including the detection of repeat-mediated deletions. The relationship of SH1-like and pleolipoviruses to previously described genomic loci of virus and plasmid-related elements (ViPREs) of haloarchaea revealed an extensive level of recombination between the known haloviruses. PH1 is a member of the same virus group as SH1 and HHIV-2, and we propose the namehalosphaerovirusto accommodate these viruses.
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Kumar, Balvinder, Anju Manuja, BR Gulati, Nitin Virmani, and B. N. Tripathi. "Zoonotic Viral Diseases of Equines and Their Impact on Human and Animal Health." Open Virology Journal 12, no. 1 (August 31, 2018): 80–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874357901812010080.
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Introduction:Zoonotic diseases are the infectious diseases that can be transmitted to human beings and vice versa from animals either directly or indirectly. These diseases can be caused by a range of organisms including bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi. Viral diseases are highly infectious and capable of causing pandemics as evidenced by outbreaks of diseases like Ebola, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, West Nile, SARS-Corona, Nipah, Hendra, Avian influenza and Swine influenza.Expalantion:Many viruses affecting equines are also important human pathogens. Diseases like Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), Western equine encephalitis (WEE), and Venezuelan-equine encephalitis (VEE) are highly infectious and can be disseminated as aerosols. A large number of horses and human cases of VEE with fatal encephalitis have continuously occurred in Venezuela and Colombia. Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is prevalent in horses in North America and has zoonotic potential causing encephalitis in children. Hendra virus (HeV) causes respiratory and neurological disease and death in man and horses. Since its first outbreak in 1994, 53 disease incidentshave been reported inAustralia. West Nile fever has spread to many newer territories across continents during recent years.It has been described in Africa, Europe, South Asia, Oceania and North America. Japanese encephalitis has expanded horizons from Asia to western Pacific region including the eastern Indonesian archipelago, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Rabies is rare in horses but still a public health concern being a fatal disease. Equine influenza is historically not known to affect humans but many scientists have mixed opinions. Equine viral diseases of zoonotic importance and their impact on animal and human health have been elaborated in this article.Conclusion:Equine viral diseases though restricted to certain geographical areas have huge impact on equine and human health. Diseases like West Nile fever, Hendra, VS, VEE, EEE, JE, Rabies have the potential for spread and ability to cause disease in human. Equine influenza is historically not known to affect humans but some experimental and observational evidence show that H3N8 influenza virus has infected man. Despite our pursuit of understanding the complexity of the vector-host-pathogen mediating disease transmission, it is not possible to make generalized predictions concerning the degree of impact of disease emergence. A targeted, multidisciplinary effort is required to understand the risk factors for zoonosis and apply the interventions necessary to control it.
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Sarkar, Probir Kumar, Nital Kumar Sarker, and Md Abu Tayab. "Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD): An Update." Bangladesh Journal of Child Health 40, no. 2 (February 13, 2017): 115–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjch.v40i2.31567.
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Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) also known as vesicular stomatitis with exanthema, first reported in New Zealand in 1957 is caused by Coxsackie virus A16 (CVA16), human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) and occasionally by other HEV-A serotypes, such as Coxsackie virus A6 and Coxsackie virus A10, are also associated with HFMD and herpangina. While all these viruses can cause mild disease in children, EV71 has been associated with neurological disease and mortality in large outbreaks in the Asia Pacific region over the last decade. It is highly contagious and is spread through direct contact with the mucus, saliva, or feces of an infected person. This is characterized by erythrematous papulo vesicular eruptions over hand, feet, perioral area, knee, buttocks and also intra-orally mostly in children, typically occurs in small epidemics usually during the summer and autumn months. HFMD symptoms are usually mild and resolve on their own in 7 to 10 days. Treatment is symptomatic but good hygiene during and after infection is very important in preventing the spread of the disease. Though only small scale outbreaks have been reported from United States, Europe, Australia Japan and Brazil for the first few decade, since 1997 the disease has conspicuously changed its behavior as noted in different Southeast Asian countries. There was sharp rise in incidence, severity, complications and even fatal outcomes that were almost unseen before that period. There are reports of disease activity in different corners of India since 2004, and the largest outbreak of HFMD occurred in eastern part of India in and around Kolkata in 2007and Bhubaneswar, Odisha in 2009. In recent years there are cases of HFMD have been seen in Bangladesh also. Although of milder degree, continuous progress to affect larger parts of the neighboring may indicate vulnerability of Bangladesh from possible future outbreaks.Bangladesh J Child Health 2016; VOL 40 (2) :115-119
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Nguyen, Long, Mark Stoové, Douglas Boyle, Denton Callander, Hamish McManus, Jason Asselin, Rebecca Guy, Basil Donovan, Margaret Hellard, and Carol El-Hayek. "Privacy-Preserving Record Linkage of Deidentified Records Within a Public Health Surveillance System: Evaluation Study." Journal of Medical Internet Research 22, no. 6 (June 24, 2020): e16757. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/16757.
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Background The Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance (ACCESS) was established to monitor national testing and test outcomes for blood-borne viruses (BBVs) and sexually transmissible infections (STIs) in key populations. ACCESS extracts deidentified data from sentinel health services that include general practice, sexual health, and infectious disease clinics, as well as public and private laboratories that conduct a large volume of BBV/STI testing. An important attribute of ACCESS is the ability to accurately link individual-level records within and between the participating sites, as this enables the system to produce reliable epidemiological measures. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of GRHANITE software in ACCESS to extract and link deidentified data from participating clinics and laboratories. GRHANITE generates irreversible hashed linkage keys based on patient-identifying data captured in the patient electronic medical records (EMRs) at the site. The algorithms to produce the data linkage keys use probabilistic linkage principles to account for variability and completeness of the underlying patient identifiers, producing up to four linkage key types per EMR. Errors in the linkage process can arise from imperfect or missing identifiers, impacting the system’s integrity. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the quality of the linkages created and evaluate the outcome of the linkage for ongoing public health surveillance. Methods Although ACCESS data are deidentified, we created two gold-standard datasets where the true match status could be confirmed in order to compare against record linkage results arising from different approaches of the GRHANITE Linkage Tool. We reported sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values where possible and estimated specificity by comparing a history of HIV and hepatitis C antibody results for linked EMRs. Results Sensitivity ranged from 96% to 100%, and specificity was 100% when applying the GRHANITE Linkage Tool to a small gold-standard dataset of 3700 clinical medical records. Medical records in this dataset contained a very high level of data completeness by having the name, date of birth, post code, and Medicare number available for use in record linkage. In a larger gold-standard dataset containing 86,538 medical records across clinics and pathology services, with a lower level of data completeness, sensitivity ranged from 94% to 95% and estimated specificity ranged from 91% to 99% in 4 of the 6 different record linkage approaches. Conclusions This study’s findings suggest that the GRHANITE Linkage Tool can be used to link deidentified patient records accurately and can be confidently used for public health surveillance in systems such as ACCESS.
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"Bioboard." Asia-Pacific Biotech News 11, no. 20 (October 30, 2007): 1325–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s0219030307001425.
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AUSTRALIA — Australian Scientist Urges Parliament to Pass Stem Cell Laws. AUSTRALIA — Aussie Breakthrough for Cancer Patients. AUSTRALIA — Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Develops Detection Tools for Breast Cancer. AUSTRALIA — Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Uses Stem Cells Research to Treat Diabetes. AUSTRALIA — New Medicare Items for Autism Spectrum Disorders. CHINA — Chinese Medicine Compound has Anti-cancer Effects on Hepatocellular Carcinoma. CHINA — Low Doses of Resveratrol in Red Wine Fights Diabetes. CHINA — New Drug Developed to Fight Human and Bird Flu Viruses. INDIA — India and US Cooperate in Developing Medical Technology. INDIA — India Sets Up First Institute of Nephro-Urology. MALAYSIA — Malaysia Expected to Achieve Millennium Development Goals on HIV/AIDS. NEW ZEALAND — Living Cell Technologies Applies for Clinical Trial for Animal to Human Transplants. SINGAPORE — Singapore First in Asia Pacifc to Get 3D Imaging System for Spinal Surgery. OTHERS — Researchers Identify Key Step Bird Flu Virus Takes to Spread to Humans.
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Persson, Asha, Anthony KJ Smith, Jack Wallace, kylie valentine, Joanne Bryant, Myra Hamilton, and Christy E. Newman. "Understanding ‘risk’ in families living with mixed blood-borne viral infection status: The doing and undoing of ‘difference’." Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, August 1, 2020, 136345932094646. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1363459320946469.
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‘Risk’ has long been at the centre of expert and popular perceptions of transmissible and stigmatised blood-borne viral infections, such as HIV and viral hepatitis. There is a substantial body of research on transmission risk among couples with mixed viral infection status (serodiscordance). But we know very little about how families affected by HIV and viral hepatitis engage with understandings of infectiousness and how these shape family relationships in different ways. Guided by cultural theories of risk that build on Mary Douglas’ work, we draw on qualitative interviews to explore the ‘performativity’ of risk in serodiscordant families in Australia. We show how the ‘doing’ of risk could be constitutive of difference, which unsettled the family connection or deepened existing fault lines. Conversely, the ‘undoing’ of risk enabled the preservation of the family bond by rejecting difference and reframing risk as an external threat to the family in the form of stigma. We conclude that risk in the context of serodiscordant families had relational implications far beyond viral transmission and consider what our findings might mean for service provision and health promotion campaigns related to blood-borne viruses.
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Lin, Shang-Kuan, Nicola De Maio, Vincent Pedergnana, Chieh-Hsi Wu, Julien Thézé, Daniel J. Wilson, Eleanor Barnes, and M. Azim Ansari. "Using host genetics to infer the global spread and evolutionary history of HCV subtype 3a." Virus Evolution 7, no. 2 (July 9, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ve/veab065.
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Abstract Studies have shown that hepatitis C virus subtype 3a (HCV-3a) is likely to have been circulating in South Asia before its global spread. However, the time and route of this dissemination remain unclear. For the first time, we generated host and virus genome-wide data for more than 500 patients infected with HCV-3a from the UK, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. We used the host genomic data to infer the ancestry of the patients and used this information to investigate the epidemic history of HCV-3a. We observed that viruses from hosts of South Asian ancestry clustered together near the root of the tree, irrespective of the sampling country, and that they were more diverse than viruses from other host ancestries. We hypothesized that South Asian hosts are more likely to have been infected in South Asia and used the inferred host ancestries to distinguish between the location where the infection was acquired and where the sample was taken. Next, we inferred that three independent transmission events resulted in the spread of the virus from South Asia to the UK, North America, and Oceania. This initial spread happened during or soon after the end of World War II. This was subsequently followed by many independent transmissions between the UK, North America, and Oceania. Using both host and virus genomic information can be highly informative in studying the virus epidemic history, especially in the context of chronic infections where migration histories need to be accounted for.
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Waller, Karen MJ, Nicole L. De La Mata, James A. Hedley, Brenda M. Rosales, Michael J. O’Leary, Elena Cavazzoni, Vidiya Ramachandran, et al. "New Blood Borne Virus Infections Among Organ Transplant Recipients: A Data-Linked Cohort Study Examining Transmissions and De Novo Infections." International Journal of Population Data Science 5, no. 5 (December 7, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.23889/ijpds.v5i5.1642.
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IntroductionSolid organ transplant recipients are at risk of infections, which may be either derived through transplantation or acquired later. Blood-borne viruses (BBV) are a particular concern for donor-derived transmissions. There is an increasing emphasis on biovigilance – monitoring the safety of donated organs. However, systematic surveillance to distinguish donor-transmitted infection from de novo post-transplant infection is challenging. Additional information can be obtained through linkage of administrative health data.
Objectives and ApproachWe aimed to identify donor-transmitted and de novo BBV infections among organ transplant recipients. We conducted a cohort study of all solid organ donor-recipient pairs in New South Wales, Australia, 2000-2015. Donor and recipient BBV infections were identified by linking transplant registries with administrative health data. Proven/probable donor-transmissions were identified among new recipient infections within 12 months of transplant, classified according to an international algorithm. All other new BBV infections were classified as de novo infections.
ResultsAmong 2,120 organ donors, 73 had a BBV infection (11/73 active, 62/73 past). Donors with BBV donated to 176 recipients, of whom 24/176 had the same BBV as their donor, and 152/176 did not; these 152 recipients were at risk of donor-transmission. Among those at risk, there were 3/152 proven/probable BBV transmissions (1 hepatitis C, 2 hepatitis B [HBV]) and 149/152 recipients with non-transmissions. All donor-transmissions were previously recognised by donation services, and were from donors with known BBV. There were no deaths from transmissions. There were 70 recipients with de novo BBV; 2/70 died from new HBV.
Conclusion / ImplicationsThis work confirms the safety of Australian organ donation, with no unrecognised BBV transmissions and many non-transmissions from donors with BBV. This may support increasing targeted donation from donors with BBV. However, de novo BBV infections were substantial and preventable. Data-linkage may be a useful adjunct to current biovigilance systems.