Infectious diseases

In endemic areas, Q fever endocarditis can result in premature prosthetic valve dysfunction

Mohammad Paymard MD · Lisa Nicotra BN · Andrew Dettrick MB BS, FRCPA · Brendan Bell MB BS · Alex Chaudhuri MB BS, FRACP · David Cody MB BS, PhD, PhC · Peter Tesar MB BS, FRACS · Christian Hamilton-Craig MB BS, PhD, FRACP

Lack of education and personnel are major barriers to effective antimicrobial stewardship

on behalf of the Australasian Stewardship of Antimicrobials in Paediatrics group

There is growing evidence that medications with anti-TNF-alpha activity may have a role in immunocompetent individuals

James S Molton MB BS, BSc, FRACP · Paul J Huggan BSc(Hons), MB ChB · Sophia Archuleta MD

Health authorities need to review recommendations on how to choose and use mosquito repellents

Cameron E Webb PhD, BSc(Hons)

How to ensure evidence-based and efficient use of pathology services

Denis Spelman FRACP, FRCPA, MPH

Rates of wound infection and adverse events were no higher when using non-sterile clean boxed gloves compared with sterile gloves

Clare Heal FRACGP, PhD · Shampavi Sriharan MB BS(Hons), DCH · Petra G Buttner PhD, MSc · Deborah Kimber RN, BN, CDE

Somewhere above the mayhem, medicine recognises and manages plagues, copes with wars and knows no borders

Stephen Leeder

The limited availability of primaquine puts returned travellers at risk

Richard S Bradbury PhD, FFS(RCPA), FASM · Gemma Robertson BMedSci, MB BS · Robert E Norton MD, FAFPHM FRCPA · Andrew W Taylor-Robinson PhD, FRCPath, FACTM

Human infection is rare but devastating, and all bat-related injuries should be taken seriously

Joshua R Francis BAppSc(MedSc), MB BS, FRACP · Bradley J McCall MB BS, MPH, FAFPHM · Penny Hutchinson MB BS, MPH, FAFPHM · Jodie Powell RN, PGCertInfectControl, BN · Vikram L Vaska FRACP, FRCPA · Clare Nourse MB BCh, FRACP, MD

Emergency department data can be useful for monitoring enterovirus infections

Alexis Zander BDS, MPhilPH, MFDS · Philip N Britton BMedSci, MB BS, FRACP · Tina Navin BSc, MBiostat · Emily Horsley MB BS, MPH · Sean Tobin BM BS, MPH, FAFPHM · Jeremy M McAnulty MB BS, MPH

Perioperative prophylaxis is one area in which there is capacity for improving the quality of prescribing

Joshua Osowicki MB BS · Amanda Gwee MB BS, FRACP, DTMH · Jesuina Noronha MB BS, DCH · Pamela Palasanthiran MB BS, MD, FRACP · Brendan McMullan BMed, FRACP, FRCPA · Philip N Britton BMedSci, MB BS, FRACP · David Isaacs MD, FRACP, FRCPCH · Tony Lai BPharm, GCClinPharm · Clare Nourse MRCPI, FRACP, MD · Minyon Avent BSc(Hons), PharmD, BCPS · Paul Moriarty MB BCh, BAO, MD · Julia Clark BM BS, FRCPCH, FRACP · Joshua R Francis BAppSc(MedSc), MB BS, FRACP · Christopher C Blyth MB BS, FRACP, FRCPA · Celia M Cooper BM BS, FRACP · Penelope A Bryant MRCP, FRACP, PhD

Unexpected safety signals and new data challenge our assumptions

Heath A Kelly MB BS, MPH

The incidence of severe disease is low, but it may present a significant diagnostic challenge

Daniel Lancini · Helen M Faddy BSc(Hons), PhD · Robert Flower PhD · Chris Hogan MB BS, BSc(Hons), FRCPA

Reassuring findings show the seasonal influenza vaccines recommended for use in young children are safe

Nicholas J Wood MB BS, FRACP PhD · Chris C Blyth MB BS, FRACP · Gabriela A Willis MB BS, BSc(Hons), DCH · Peter Richmond MB BS, FRACP, MRCP(UK) · Michael S Gold MD, FCP, FRACP · Jim P Buttery FRACP, MSc, MD · Nigel Crawford MB BS, FRACP, PhD · Michael Crampton MB BS, FRACGP · J Kevin Yin MB BS, MPH(Hons), PhD · Maria Yui Kwan Chow PhD, MIPH · Kristine Macartney MB BS(Hons), MD, FRACP

Measles is often forgotten in pretravel prophylaxis regimens; people born after 1966 are at particular risk

G Khai Lin Huang MB BS(Hons), BMedSci · Katherine A Bond BSci, MB BS(Hons), DTM · Nicholas H Hewitt MB BS(Hons), FRACP · Paul D R Johnson MB BS, PhD, FRACP

Culturally sensitive integration of medical circumcision could avert adverse effects at traditional male initiation rites

Clement Manineng MB BS, BMSc, · David MacLaren BAppSc, MPH, PhD

The contribution of bloodstream infections to deaths in Australia may be underestimated

Christopher S Heather · Hong Foo · Iain B Gosbell

Skin reviews, sun protection advice and caution in patients with previous SCC are recommended

Chin Fen Neoh BPharm, MPharm(ClinPharm), PhD · Gregory I Snell MB BS, FRACP, MD · Bronwyn Levvey RN, BEdStu, GradDipClinEpi · Tom Kotsimbos MD, FRACP · Orla Morrissey MB BCh, FRACP, PhD · Monica A Slavin MB BS, FRACP, MD · Kay Stewart BPharm, PhD · David C M Kong BPharm, MPharm, PhD

We need to increase testing and treatment and keep searching for a cure

Levinia Crooks BA(Hons), DipEd, MBA · Michael R Kidd AM, MD, FRACGP · Robert Lake DCOM · Edwina J Wright MB BS, PhD, FRACP · Edward Reis BA

This complication is rare, but potentially disastrous

Eugene Ng MB BS · Michelle Lee MB BS

Primary care is increasingly recognised for its role in a patient’s health trajectory and in wider community-level health

Astika Kappagoda

A Kenyan baby brings understanding of the effect of HIV diagnosis and global health’s responsibility

Heather Kitt BSc, MB BCh BAO

How to achieve the impossible in the face of a global health disaster

Stephen Leeder

Good infection control minimises the risk to Australia from the largest outbreak of Ebola virus disease

Arinjay Banerjee BS, MS · Siobhan M Mor BVSc, PhD, MANZCVS · Jen Kok MB BS, FRACP, FRCPA · Tania C Sorrell MB BS, MD, FRACP · Grant A Hill-Cawthorne MB BChir, MA, MRCP

High levels of active infection and susceptibility suggest routine HBV testing and vaccination could be beneficial in this population

Mary E Harrod PhD · Sophia Couzos FRACGP, FACRRM, FAFPHM · Dea Delaney-Thiele MPH · Gregory J Dore MPH, PhD, FRACP · Belinda Hammond · Mark Saunders · Mary Belfrage MB BS, DRANZCOG, MRACGP · Sidney Williams AdvDipMgt · John M Kaldor PhD · James Ward BA