Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program: Annual Report, 2018

Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program: Annual Report, 2019

Communicable Diseases Intelligence ◽

10.33321/cdi.2021.45.4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

Author(s):

Sarah Thomas ◽

Celeste M Donato ◽

Susie Roczo-Farkas ◽

Jenny Hua ◽

Julie E Bines ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Annual Report ◽

Surveillance Program ◽

Genotype Distribution ◽

Oral Vaccines ◽

Wild Type ◽

National Immunisation ◽

Genotype Analysis ◽

Vaccine Schedule ◽

National Immunisation Program ◽

Dominant Genotype

This report, from the Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program and collaborating laboratories Australia-wide, describes the rotavirus genotypes identified in children and adults with acute gastroenteritis during the period 1 January to 31 December 2019. During this period, 964 faecal specimens had been referred for rotavirus G- and P- genotype analysis, including 894 samples that were confirmed as rotavirus positive. Of these, 724/894 were wild-type rotavirus strains and 169/894 were identified as vaccine-like. A single sample could not be determined as wild-type or vaccine-like due to poor sequencing. Genotype analysis of the 724 wild-type rotavirus samples from both children and adults demonstrated that G3P[8] was the dominant genotype nationally, identified in 46.7% of samples, followed by G2P[4] in 8.8% of samples. The Australian National Immunisation Program (NIP) changed to the exclusive use of Rotarix as of 1 July 2017. The NIP had previously included two live-attenuated oral vaccines: Rotarix (monovalent, human) and RotaTeq (pentavalent, human-bovine reassortant) in a state-based vaccine selection. Continuous surveillance is imperative to determine the effect of this change in rotavirus vaccine schedule on the genotype distribution and diversity in Australia.

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Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program: Annual Report, 2017

Communicable Diseases Intelligence ◽

10.33321/cdi.2019.43.28 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Susie Roczo-Farkas ◽

Daniel Cowley ◽

Julie E Bines ◽

Keyword(s):

Annual Report ◽

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

South Australia ◽

Surveillance Program ◽

National Immunisation ◽

Genotype Analysis ◽

South Wales ◽

National Immunisation Program ◽

Dominant Genotype

This report, from the Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program and collaborating laboratories Australia-wide, describes the rotavirus genotypes identified in children and adults with acute gastroenteritis during the period 1 January to 31 December 2017. During this period, 2,285 faecal specimens were referred for rotavirus G and P genotype analysis, including 1,103 samples that were confirmed as rotavirus positive. Of these, 1,014/1,103 were wildtype rotavirus strains and 89/1,103 were identified as rotavirus vaccine-like. Genotype analysis of the 1,014 wildtype rotavirus samples from both children and adults demonstrated that G2P[4] was the dominant genotype nationally, identified in 39% of samples, followed by equine-like G3P[8] and G8P[8] (25% and 16% respectively). Multiple outbreaks were recorded across Australia, including G2P[4] (Northern Territory, Western Australia, and South Australia), equine-like G3P[8] (New South Wales), and G8P[8] (New South Wales and Victoria). This year also marks the change in the Australian National Immunisation Program to the use of Rotarix exclusively, on 1 July 2017.

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Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program: Annual Report, 2020

Communicable Diseases Intelligence ◽

10.33321/cdi.2021.45.64 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

Author(s):

Susie Roczo-Farkas ◽

◽

Sarah Thomas ◽

Celeste M Donato ◽

Nada Bogdanovic-Sakran ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Annual Report ◽

Surveillance Program ◽

Central Laboratory ◽

Surveillance Period ◽

Surveillance Network ◽

Genotype Analysis ◽

Stool Samples ◽

Positive Results ◽

Dominant Genotype ◽

Day Care Centre

This report from the Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Network describes the circulating rotavirus genotypes identified in children and adults during the period 1 January – 31 December 2020. During this period, 229 faecal specimens were referred for rotavirus G- and P- genotype analysis, including 189 samples that were confirmed as rotavirus positive. Of these, 98/189 were wildtype rotavirus strains and 86/189 were identified as vaccine-like. A further five samples could not be determined as wildtype or vaccine-like due to poor sequence reads. Genotype analysis of the 98 wildtype rotavirus samples from both children and adults demonstrated that G3P[8] was the dominant genotype identified for the third consecutive year, identified in 27.6% of samples, followed by G2P[4] in 20.4% of samples. Forty-six percent of rotavirus positive samples received were identified as vaccine-like, highlighting the need to add caution in interpreting rotavirus positive results in children aged 0–8 months. This surveillance period was significantly impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) pandemic. The reduction in rotavirus notifications reflected reduced healthcare-seeking behaviour and a decrease in community spread, with ‘community lockdowns’, school and day-care centre closure and improved compliance with hand hygiene. Fewer stool samples were collected throughout Australia during this period. There was a reluctance to store samples at collaborating laboratories and uncertainties regarding the safety and feasibility of the transport of samples to the central laboratory during the closure of state and territory borders. Systems have now been adapted to manage and send biological samples safely and confidently. Ongoing rotavirus surveillance is crucial to identify changes in genotypic patterns and to provide diagnostic laboratories quality assurance by reporting incidences of wildtype, vaccine-like, or false positive rotavirus results.

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Surveillance of adverse events following immunisation in Australia annual report, 2017

Communicable Diseases Intelligence ◽

10.33321/cdi.2019.43.29 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Aditi Dey ◽

Han Wang ◽

Helen Quinn ◽

Rona Hiam ◽

Nicholas Wood ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adverse Events ◽

Annual Report ◽

Injection Site Reaction ◽

Reporting Rate ◽

Vaccination Programs ◽

National Immunisation ◽

National Immunisation Program ◽

Conjugate Vaccination ◽

Reporting Rates ◽

To Receive

This report summarises Australian passive surveillance data for adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) for 2017 reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration and describes reporting trends over the 18-year period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2017. There were 3,878 AEFI records for vaccines administered in 2017; an annual AEFI reporting rate of 15.8 per 100,000 population. There was a 12% increase in the overall AEFI reporting rate in 2017 compared with 2016. This increase in reported adverse events in 2017 compared to the previous year was likely due to the introduction of the zoster vaccine (Zostavax®) provided free for people aged 70–79 years under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and also the state- and territory-based meningococcal ACWY conjugate vaccination programs. AEFI reporting rates for most other individual vaccines in 2017 were similar to 2016. The most commonly reported reactions were injection site reaction (34%), pyrexia (17%), rash (15%), vomiting (8%) and pain (7%). The majority of AEFI reports (88%) described non-serious events. Two deaths were reported that were determined to have a causal relationship with vaccination; they occurred in immunocompromised people contraindicated to receive the vaccines.

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Surveillance of adverse events following immunisation in Australia: annual report, 2018

Communicable Diseases Intelligence ◽

10.33321/cdi.2020.44.12 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Aditi Dey ◽

Han Wang ◽

Helen Quinn ◽

Alexis Pillsbury ◽

Catherine Glover ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adverse Events ◽

Seasonal Influenza ◽

Annual Report ◽

Injection Site Reaction ◽

Reporting Rate ◽

Vaccination Programs ◽

National Immunisation ◽

Program Schedule ◽

National Immunisation Program ◽

Reporting Rates

This report summarises Australian spontaneous surveillance data for adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) for 2018 reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration and describes reporting trends over the 19-year period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2018. There were 4221 AEFI records for vaccines administered in 2018, an annual AEFI reporting rate of 16.9 per 100,000 population. There was a 2.9% increase in the overall AEFI reporting rate in 2018 compared to 2017. This slight increase in reported adverse events in 2018 was likely due to new additions to the National Immunisation Program schedule, namely meningococcal ACWY vaccination for children aged 12 months, enhanced immunogenicity trivalent influenza vaccines for adults aged ≥65 years, and state- and territory-funded seasonal influenza vaccination programs for children aged 6 months to <5 years. AEFI reporting rates for most individual vaccines in 2018 were similar to 2017. The most commonly reported adverse events were injection site reaction (34%), pyrexia (15%), rash (15%), vomiting (8%), headache (6%) and pain (6%). Two deaths were reported to the TGA but no clear causal relationship with vaccination was found.

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Immunisation Coverage Annual Report 2018

Communicable Diseases Intelligence ◽

10.33321/cdi.2021.45.17 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

Author(s):

Brynley Hull ◽

Alexandra Hendry ◽

Aditi Dey ◽

Peter McIntyre ◽

Kristine Macartney ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Torres Strait Islander ◽

Vaccine Coverage ◽

Rotavirus Vaccine ◽

Immunisation Coverage ◽

National Immunisation ◽

Vaccine Schedule ◽

National Immunisation Program ◽

Indigenous Children ◽

Torres Strait

Australian Immunisation Register data have been analysed for children aged < 5 years, focusing on changes in coverage at key milestone ages (12, 24 and 60 months) between 2017 and 2018, while also documenting longer term trends. Fully vaccinated coverage increased at the 12- and 60-months milestones to 93.9% and 94.0%, respectively, but, in the context of additional antigens required, decreased to 90.1% at 24 months. Following the move to a two-dose rotavirus vaccine schedule across Australia from mid-2017, rotavirus vaccine coverage increased from 86.8% to 90.9%. In 2018, most jurisdictions funded influenza vaccine for non-Indigenous children aged 6 months to < 5 years; the National Immunisation Program has funded influenza vaccine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and medically at-risk children since 2015 and 2010, respectively. Recorded influenza vaccine coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children doubled from 14.9% to 31.4%, and increased fivefold in non-Indigenous children from 5.0% to 25.9% in 2018. The timeliness of fully vaccinated coverage was also examined at earlier milestones (3 months after due date of last scheduled vaccine) of 9, 15, 21 and 51 months, by area of residence. For all children, coverage among those living in the least advantaged residential area quintile was 3–4% lower than that for those in the most advantaged quintile at the 9-, 15- and 21-month milestones. Importantly, although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children had lower coverage for the second dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine at 24 months (91.8% versus 93.1% for non-Indigenous), coverage increased to 98.5% at 60 months; coverage was also high in non-Indigenous children at 96.2%, above the 95% target critical to measles control. These data demonstrate continuing improvements in immunisation coverage and suggest potential new coverage targets for earlier protection in the first two years of life.

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Genotype Diversity before and after the Introduction of a Rotavirus Vaccine into the National Immunisation Program in Fiji

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10030358 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 358

Author(s):

Sarah Thomas ◽

Celeste M. Donato ◽

Sokoveti Covea ◽

Felisita T. Ratu ◽

Adam W. J. Jenney ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Initial Period ◽

Acute Diarrhoea ◽

Diarrhoeal Disease ◽

Reference Laboratory ◽

Rotavirus Vaccine ◽

Vaccine Introduction ◽

National Immunisation ◽

National Immunisation Program ◽

Genotype Diversity ◽

Before And After

The introduction of the rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix, into the Fiji National Immunisation Program in 2012 has reduced the burden of rotavirus disease and hospitalisations in children less than 5 years of age. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of rotavirus genotype diversity from 2005 to 2018; to investigate changes following the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in Fiji. Faecal samples from children less than 5 years with acute diarrhoea between 2005 to 2018 were analysed at the WHO Rotavirus Regional Reference Laboratory at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia, and positive samples were serotyped by EIA (2005–2006) or genotyped by heminested RT-PCR (2007 onwards). We observed a transient increase in the zoonotic strain equine-like G3P[8] in the initial period following vaccine introduction. G1P[8] and G2P[4], dominant genotypes prior to vaccine introduction, have not been detected since 2015 and 2014, respectively. A decrease in rotavirus genotypes G2P[8], G3P[6], G8P[8] and G9P[8] was also observed following vaccine introduction. Monitoring the rotavirus genotypes that cause diarrhoeal disease in children in Fiji is important to ensure that the rotavirus vaccine will continue to be protective and to enable early detection of new vaccine escape strains if this occurs.

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Immunisation Coverage Annual Report 2018

Communicable Diseases Intelligence ◽

10.33321/cdi.2020.45.17 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

Author(s):

Brynley Hull ◽

Alexandra Hendry ◽

Aditi Dey ◽

Peter McIntyre ◽

Kristine Macartney ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Torres Strait Islander ◽

Vaccine Coverage ◽

Rotavirus Vaccine ◽

Immunisation Coverage ◽

National Immunisation ◽

Vaccine Schedule ◽

National Immunisation Program ◽

Indigenous Children ◽

Torres Strait

Australian Immunisation Register data have been analysed for children aged < 5 years, focusing on changes in coverage at key milestone ages (12, 24 and 60 months) between 2017 and 2018, while also documenting longer term trends. Fully vaccinated coverage increased at the 12- and 60-months milestones to 93.9% and 94.0%, respectively, but, in the context of additional antigens required, decreased to 90.1% at 24 months. Following the move to a two-dose rotavirus vaccine schedule across Australia from mid-2017, rotavirus vaccine coverage increased from 86.8% to 90.9%. In 2018, most jurisdictions funded influenza vaccine for non-Indigenous children aged 6 months to < 5 years; the National Immunisation Program has funded influenza vaccine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and medically at-risk children since 2015 and 2010, respectively. Recorded influenza vaccine coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children doubled from 14.9% to 31.4%, and increased fivefold in non-Indigenous children from 5.0% to 25.9% in 2018. The timeliness of fully vaccinated coverage was also examined at earlier milestones (3 months after due date of last scheduled vaccine) of 9, 15, 21 and 51 months, by area of residence. For all children, coverage among those living in the least advantaged residential area quintile was 3–4% lower than that for those in the most advantaged quintile at the 9-, 15- and 21-month milestones. Importantly, although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children had lower coverage for the second dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine at 24 months (91.8% versus 93.1% for non-Indigenous), coverage increased to 98.5% at 60 months; coverage was also high in non-Indigenous children at 96.2%, above the 95% target critical to measles control. These data demonstrate continuing improvements in immunisation coverage and suggest potential new coverage targets for earlier protection in the first two years of life.

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Rotavirus Disease and Genotype Diversity in Older Children and Adults in Australia

The Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/infdis/jiaa430 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Celeste M Donato ◽

Susie Roczo-Farkas ◽

Carl D Kirkwood ◽

Graeme L Barnes ◽

Julie E Bines

Keyword(s):

Age Groups ◽

Genotypic Diversity ◽

The Elderly ◽

Surveillance Program ◽

Genotype Distribution ◽

Older Children ◽

Geographical Differences ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Notification Data ◽

Dominant Genotype

Abstract Background Rotavirus is a major cause of gastroenteritis in children <5 years of age. The disease burden in older children, adults, and the elderly is underappreciated. This study describes rotavirus disease and genotypic diversity in the Australian population comprising children ≥5 years of age and adults. Methods Rotavirus positive fecal samples were collected from laboratories Australia-wide participating in the Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program between 2010 and 2018. Rotavirus samples were genotyped using a heminested multiplex reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Notification data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System were also analyzed. Results Rotavirus disease was highest in children aged 5–9 years and adults ≥85 years. G2P[4] was the dominant genotype in the population ≥5 years of age. Genotype distribution fluctuated annually and genotypic diversity varied among different age groups. Geographical differences in genotype distribution were observed based on the rotavirus vaccine administered to infants <1 year of age. Conclusions This study revealed a substantial burden of rotavirus disease in the population ≥5 years of age, particularly in children 5–9 years and the elderly. This study highlights the continued need for rotavirus surveillance across the population, despite the implementation of efficacious vaccines.

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Vaccine Hesitancy and Administrative Burden in the Australian National Immunisation Program: An Analysis of Twitter Discourse

Knowledge ◽

10.3390/knowledge1010004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 25-39

Author(s):

Christopher L. Atkinson ◽

Allison M. Atkinson

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Vaccination Schedule ◽

Social Networking Site ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Administrative Burden ◽

National Immunisation ◽

Department Of Health ◽

Public Health Professionals ◽

National Immunisation Program

In Australia, the National Immunisation Program and its Standard Vaccination Schedule are administered by the Australian Government Department of Health. While the public vaccination program’s safety and worth are generally agreed upon by doctors and public health professionals, some continue to see vaccinations as a source of danger and harm. The burden of vaccination in order to receive public services aligns government and medical interests, but a less-than-trusting public may see conspiracy in such requirements, resulting in vaccine hesitancy. The media’s attention to the topic, and a tendency toward misinformation on the part of anti-government opinion leaders, necessitate additional exploration of the administrative burden of vaccinations in an increasingly complex policy environment, where public health benefits are weighed against individual freedom and belief. This paper examines vaccinations as a burden, with costs in compliance, learning, and psychological terms, using posts from the social networking site Twitter as a corpus for exploratory content analysis in the specific case of Australia and its requirements. It is worth considering whether the positive aspects messaged by public health professionals are successfully entering into the discourse on vaccinations.

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