Immunisation: children and travel

Travelling with children is often very rewarding. Parents and carers are likely to see places and meet people they might not if travelling without children. But preventable infectious diseases can ruin the experience and put lives, especially young lives, at risk. Preventing illness in the travelling child needs forward planning. The risks of the destinations should be reviewed using up-to-date resources available at www.smartraveller.gov.au, www.who.int and www.cdc.gov

Comparative Analysis of Multidrug-Resistant, Non-Multidrug-Resistant, and Archaic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Central Sydney, Australia

In this study, the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of 50 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates (43 contemporary and 7 archaic strains from the mid-1960s) from four Sydney hospitals in the central Sydney area were compared. Phenotypic analysis based on antibiotic profiles and phage typing patterns categorized the MRSA isolates into three major groups: multidrug resistant (mMRSA), non-multidrug resistant (nmMRSA), and archaic. The nmMRSA isolates could be further subdivided into nmMRSA group 1, which was phage typeable and similar to the archaic group; nmMRSA group 2, which was non-phage typeable and only resistant to ciprofloxacin; and nmMRSA group 3, which was also nontypeable and generally resistant to other antibiotics. The characterization of all five phenotypic groups was then extended by genetic analysis. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis showed the 50 isolates could be sorted into 20 group-specific pulsotypes. mecI gene deletions and mutations at various percentages among the five MRSA groups were detected by sequencing. Several mec promoter mutations were also found. The overall findings indicated that nmMRSA strains may have independently acquired mec DNA and are more likely to be newly emergent strains than nmMRSA variants

Challenges in using serological methods to explore historical transmission risk of Chlamydia psittaci in a workforce with high exposure to equine chlamydiosis

This report describes the challenges encountered in using serological methods to study the historical transmission risk of C. psittaci from horses to humans. Methods In 2017, serology and risk factor questionnaire data from a group of individuals, whose occupations involved close contact with horses, were collected to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies to C. psittaci and identify risk factors associated with previous exposure. Results 147 participants were enrolled in the study, provided blood samples, and completed a questionnaire. On ELISA testing, antibodies to the Chlamydia genus were detected in samples from 17 participants but further specific species-specific MIF testing did not detect C. psittaci-specific antibodies in any of these samples. Conclusion No serological evidence of past C. psittaci transmission from horses to humans was found in this study cohort. There are major challenges in using serological methods to determine the prevalence of C. psittaci exposur