PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Martyn Kirk

Publications and source records attributed to Martyn Kirk.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Multi-drug resistant Salmonella Java infections acquired from tropical fish aquariums, Australia, 2003-04.

Antibiotic resistant Salmonella infections are rare in Australia. We investigated an increase in multidrug resistant Salmonella Paratyphi B biovar Java (S. Java) infections in Australia during 2003-04. Eighty-two per cent (18/22) of S. Java cases enrolled into the study reported that they had been in contact with aquariums housing fish during their incubation period. Seventy-two per cent (13/18) of cases were infected with strains that were resistant to ApSmTcCmSuSp (ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, sulfonamides, spectinomycin). Case households commonly reported high risk behaviours, such as cleaning aquaria in sinks. Sixty-one per cent (11/18) of cases reported that fish in their aquarium had been sick or died in the week prior to their illness, and S. Java was isolated from the water or gravel of 5 cases. These antibiotic strains are being spread internationally and may become endemic in countries importing tropical fish or result in transfer of resistance to other more common Salmonella serotypes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Estimating the burden of acute gastroenteritis, foodborne disease, and pathogens commonly transmitted by food: an international review.

The burden of foodborne disease is not well defined in many countries or regions or on a global level. The World Health Organization (WHO), in conjunction with other national public health agencies, is coordinating a number of international activities designed to assist countries in the strengthening of disease surveillance and to determine the burden of acute gastroenteritis. These data can then be used to estimate the following situations: (1) the burden associated with acute gastroenteritis of foodborne origin, (2) the burden caused by specific pathogens commonly transmitted by food, and (3) the burden caused by specific foods or food groups. Many of the scientists collaborating with the WHO on these activities have been involved in quantifying the burden of acute gastroenteritis on a national basis. This article reviews these key national studies and the international efforts that are providing the necessary information and technical resources to derive national, regional, and global burden of disease estimates.

Australia↗
PubMed2005

Australia's notifiable diseases status, 2003 annual report of the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.

In 2003, 58 diseases and conditions were notifiable at a national level in Australia. States and territories reported a total of 104,956 cases to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System an increase of 3.2 per cent on the total number of notifications in 2002. In 2003, the most frequently notified diseases were sexually acquired infections (38,854, 37% of total notifications), gastrointestinal diseases (24,655 notifications, 24%) and bloodborne viruses (20,825 notifications, 20%). There were 11,113 notifications of vaccine preventable diseases, 6,780 notifications of vectorborne diseases, 1,826 notification of other bacterial infections and 903 notifications of zoonotic diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Australia's notifiable diseases status, 2002: Annual report of the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.

There were 57 infectious diseases notifiable at the national level in Australia in 2002. States and territories reported 100,278 cases of infectious diseases to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), a fall of 4 per cent compared to the number of notifications in 2001. In 2002, the most frequently notified diseases were, sexually transmitted infections (31,929 reports, 32% of total notifications), gastrointestinal infections (26,708 reports, 27% of total notifications) and bloodborne infections (23,741, 24%). There were 11,711 (12% of total) cases of vaccine preventable diseases, 3,052 (3% of total) cases of vectorborne diseases, 1,155 (1% of total) cases of zoonotic infections, two cases of quarantinable diseases (Vibrio cholerae O1) and 1,980 cases of other bacterial diseases, notified to NNDSS. Compared to 2001, notifications of sexually transmitted infections increased by 16 per cent and gastrointestinal infections by 2 per cent while bloodborne infections fell by 18 per cent. The number of notifications of chlamydial infection and Q fever were the highest since 1991 and 1995 respectively. By contrast, the number of notification for hepatitis A and measles were the lowest since 1991. For other notifiable diseases, the number of notifications was within the range of the five years between 1997 and 2002 (range = five-year mean plus or minus two standard deviations). This report also includes 2002 summary data on communicable diseases from other surveillance systems including the Laboratory Virology and Serology Reporting Scheme and sentinel general practitioner schemes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Cost of community gastroenteritis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Gastroenteritis is a common illness that causes considerable morbidity in developed countries. Endemic gastroenteritis that is not associated with outbreaks causes the greatest number of cases, but information is limited about the burden of this disease, and the resources required to manage its impact on society. In the present study, we estimated the rate of endemic gastroenteritis, the number of visits to the local doctor, use of medication, and the cost of gastroenteritis in Australia. METHODS: Data from a community-based study of gastroenteritis, a general practice surveillance network, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Health Insurance Commission were used to measure endemic gastroenteritis and other study outcomes. The results were then extrapolated to the Australian Community. RESULTS: There were an estimated 0.8 cases of gastroenteritis per person per year in Australia. This equated to 15,173,430 cases of gastroenteritis in Australia annually. The age-standardized estimate of the total number of visits to the general practitioner (GP) for gastroenteritis was 1024,214 at a cost of 26,722,691 Australian dollars. The average cost of prescribed medication per visit was 6.83 Australia dollars; the estimated total cost of prescribed medication was 6995,381 Australian dollars. The estimated cost of over-the-counter medication was 14,587,477 Australia dollars. It was estimated that people working full or part-time had 0.13 days-off per person per year because of gastroenteritis, at a cost of 137,924,170 Australian dollars. The estimated total cost of endemic gastroenteritis in Australia was 342,855,616 Australian dollars of which 75,908,274 Australian dollars was direct medical costs and 266,947,342 Australian dollars was time costs and the costs for time off work to care for a sick family member. CONCLUSIONS: Endemic gastroenteritis is an important illness in both developed and developing countries. Although in developed countries, the majority of individual cases are mild to moderate in their severity; the overall costs are significant. The results highlight the need for ongoing research to identify the main causes of endemic gastroenteritis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Australia's notifiable diseases status, 2001: annual report of the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.

In 2001 there were 104,187 notifications of communicable diseases in Australia reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). The number of notifications in 2001 was an increase of 16 per cent of those reported in 2000 (89,740) and the largest annual total since the NNDSS commenced in 1991. In 2001, nine new diseases were added to the list of diseases reported to NNDSS and four diseases were removed. The new diseases were cryptosporidiosis, laboratory-confirmed influenza, invasive pneumococcal disease, Japanese encephalitis, Kunjin virus infection, Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection, anthrax, Australian bat lyssavirus, and other lyssaviruses (not elsewhere classified). Bloodborne virus infections remained the most frequently notified disease (29,057 reports, 27.9% of total), followed by sexually transmitted infections (27,647, 26.5%), gastrointestinal diseases (26,086, 25%), vaccine preventable diseases (13,030 (12.5%), vectorborne diseases (5,294, 5.1%), other bacterial infections (1,978, 1.9%), zoonotic infections (1,091, 1%) and four cases of quarantinable diseases. In 2001 there were increases in the number of notifications of incident hepatitis C, chlamydial infections, pertussis, Barmah Forest virus infection and ornithosis. There were decreases in the number of notifications of hepatitis A, Haemophilus influenzae type b infections, measles, rubella, Ross River virus infections and brucellosis. This report also summarises data on communicable diseases from other surveillance systems including the Laboratory Virology and Serology Reporting Scheme and sentinel general practitioner schemes. In addition, this report comments on other important developments in communicable disease control in Australia in 2001.

Australia↗
PubMed2002

Australia's notifiable diseases status, 2000. Annual report of the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.

In 2000, there were 89,740 notifications of communicable diseases in Australia collected by the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). The number of notifications in 2000 was an increase of 5.9 per cent over those reported in 1999 (84,743) and the largest reporting year since the NNDSS commenced in 1991. Notifications in 2000 consisted of 28,341 bloodborne infections (32% of total), 24,319 sexually transmitted infections (27%), 21,303 gastrointestinal infections (24%), 6,617 vaccine preventable infections (7%), 6,069 vectorborne infections (7%), 2,121 other bacterial infections (legionellosis, meningococcal infection, leprosy and tuberculosis) (2%), 969 zoonotic infections (1%) and only one case of a quarantinable infection. Steep declines in some childhood vaccine preventable diseases such as Haemophilus influenzae type b, measles, mumps and rubella, continued in 2000. In contrast, notifications of pertussis and legionellosis increased sharply in the year. Notifications of bloodborne viral diseases (particularly hepatitis B and hepatitis C) and some sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, continue to increase in Australia. This report also summarises data on communicable diseases from other surveillance systems including the Laboratory Virology and Serology Surveillance Scheme (LabVISE) and sentinel general practitioner schemes. In addition this report comments on other important developments in communicable disease control in Australia in 2000.

Australia↗
PubMed2002

Enhancing foodborne disease surveillance across Australia in 2001: the OzFoodNet Working Group.

In 2000, the OzFoodNet network was established to enhance surveillance of foodborne diseases across Australia. OzFoodNet consists of 7 sites and covers 68 per cent of Australia's population. During 2001, sites reported 15,815 cases of campylobacteriosis, 6,607 cases of salmonellosis, 326 cases of shigellosis, 71 cases of yersiniosis, 61 cases of listeriosis, 47 cases of shiga-toxin producing E. coli and 5 cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Sites reported 86 foodborne outbreaks affecting 1,768 people, of whom 4.0 per cent (70/1,768) were hospitalised and one person died. There was a wide range of foods implicated in these outbreaks and the most common agent was S. Typhimurium. Sites reported two international outbreaks; one of multi-drug resistant S. Typhimurium Definitive Type 104 due to helva imported from Turkey, and one of S. Stanley associated with dried peanuts from China. The National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health conducted a national survey of gastroenteritis. Preliminary data from interviews of 2,417 people suggests that the incidence of foodborne illness is significantly higher than previously thought. OzFoodNet initiated case control studies into risk factors for Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria, and shiga-toxin producing E. coli. OzFoodNet developed a foodborne disease outbreak register for Australia; established a network of laboratories to type Campylobacter; prepared a survey of pathology laboratories; reviewed Australian data on listeriosis; and assessed the usefulness of sentinel surveillance for gastroenteritis. This program of enhanced surveillance has demonstrated its capacity to nationally investigate and determine the causes of foodborne disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness associated with the consumption of escolar fish.

An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness occurred amongst attendees of a conference lunch in the Hunter area, New South Wales, in October 2001. A distinctive symptom reported by many ill persons was the presence of oily diarrhoea. The Hunter Public Health Unit investigated the outbreak by conducting a telephone interview of the cohort of conference attendees using a standard questionnaire. Twenty persons out of 44 attendees (46%) became ill following the conference. The median incubation period was 2.5 hours (range 1-90 hours). The most common symptoms reported were; diarrhoea (80%)-38 per cent of these reported oily diarrhoea; abdominal cramps (50%); nausea (45%); headache (35%) and vomiting (25%). For analyses, a case was defined as a person who developed oily diarrhea, or diarrhoea within 48 hours, or had at least two other symptoms of gastroenteritis within 6 hours, of the conference lunch. Seventeen persons had symptoms that met the case definition. None of the foods or beverages consumed were significantly associated with illness, however, all cases had consumed fish and none of those who did not eat fish (4 persons) became ill. Moreover, only 'fish' or 'potato chips' could explain a significant proportion of the illness. Analysis of the oil composition of the fish consumed was consistent with the known profile of the species marketed as 'escolar'. Among those who consumed fish the following potential risk factors did not have a significant association with the illness; Body Mass Index, age, health status and the amount of fish consumed. We concluded that consumption of fish within the marketing group escolar can cause severe abdominal cramping, nausea and vomiting, in addition to incontinent diarrhoea.

Animals↗