Communicable diseases intelligence quarterly report
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This, the 6th annual immunisation coverage report, documents trends during 2012 for a range of standard measures derived from Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) data, and National Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Program Register data. These include coverage at standard age milestones and for individual vaccines included on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and coverage in adolescents and adults. The proportion of Australian children 'fully vaccinated' at 12, 24 and 60 months of age was 91.7%, 92.5% and 91.2%, respectively. ⋯ The percentage of children whose parents officially objected to vaccination in Australia was 1.7% and this figure varied by jurisdiction. However, there is a further 2.1% of children whose parents don't officially object but whose children have no vaccines recorded on the ACIR. Coverage data for the 3rd dose of HPV from the national HPV register in the school catch up program was similar to 2011 at 71% but was substantially lower for the catch up program for females outside school (44%-69%), although this was an improvement from 2011.
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Commun Dis Intell Q Rep · Mar 2014
Historical ArticleTuberculosis notifications in Australia, 2010.
The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System received 1,353 tuberculosis (TB) notifications in 2010, representing a rate of 6.1 cases per 100,000 population. While rates of 5 to 6 cases per 100,000 population for TB have been maintained in Australia, since first achieved in the mid-1980s, there has been a steady increase in incidence over the past decade. The incidence in the Australian-born Indigenous population was 7.5 per 100,000 population, which is 11 times the incidence reported in the Australian-born non-Indigenous population of 0.7 per 100,000 population. ⋯ Household or other close contact with TB or past residence in a high risk country were the most commonly reported risk factors for TB infection. Outcome data for the 2009 TB cohort indicate that treatment success was attained in more than 95% of cases. As Australia continues to contribute to global TB control it is important to maintain good centralised national reporting of TB to identify populations at risk and monitor trends in TB.
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This, the 5th annual immunisation coverage report, documents trends during 2011 for a range of standard measures derived from Australian Childhood Immunisation Register data, and National Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Program Register data. The proportion of children 'fully vaccinated' at 12, 24 and 60 months of age was 91.4%, 92.2% and 89.5% respectively. Although pneumococcal vaccine had similar coverage at 12 months to other vaccines, coverage was lower for rotavirus at 12 months (83.8%) and varicella at 24 months (83.9%). ⋯ On-time receipt (before 49 months of age) of vaccines by Indigenous children at the 60-month milestone age improved between 2010 (18%) and 2011 (19%) but the disparity in on-time vaccination between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children increased at all 3 age milestones. The percentage of vaccine objectors in 2011 (1.7%) has increased from 2007 when it was 1.1%. Coverage data for the 3rd dose of HPV from the national HPV register in the school catch up program was 71% but was substantially lower for the catch-up program for women outside school (39%-67%), although this was an improvement from 2010.
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Commun Dis Intell Q Rep · Dec 2013
Historical ArticleEpidemiology of sexually transmissible infections in New South Wales: are case notifications enough?
Surveillance of sexually transmissible infections (STI)s is important to assess the disease burden in the population and to monitor and evaluate changes in trends over time. Routinely collected surveillance data in New South Wales are reliant on case reporting, which for many infections is an inadequate mechanism for capturing incidence and prevalence. Increasing rates of chlamydia over the past decade have sparked intense debate as to whether the current notification system is optimal and whether the true burden of infection are being measured. This study describes the current surveillance for STIs in New South Wales. ⋯ Notifications data for STIs should be complemented with hospital admission and other data sources to better describe STI morbidity. A synthesis of these data sources is needed to improve current surveillance and allow for better comparisons and trend analysis of STIs in New South Wales.
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Commun Dis Intell Q Rep · Jan 2013
Historical ArticleVaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Australia 2006-2010.
This report outlines the major positive impacts of vaccines on the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from 2007 to 2010, as well as highlighting areas that require further attention. Hepatitis A disease is now less common in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children than in their non-Indigenous counterparts. Hepatitis A vaccination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children was introduced in 2005 in the high incidence jurisdictions of the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. ⋯ Coverage for vaccines recommended only for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continues to remain substantially lower than that for universal vaccines. This underlines the importance of immunisation providers establishing the Indigenous status of their clients, so that additional vaccines are offered as appropriate. The absence of any coverage data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents, or for adults since 2004/2005, is a substantial obstacle to implementing and improving programs in these age groups.