In Australia, wild dogs (Canis familiaris) are common in peri-urban environments, live within a c... more In Australia, wild dogs (Canis familiaris) are common in peri-urban environments, live within a close distance to houses, and visit household backyards and other public high-use areas such as school grounds and parklands. Wild dogs are known to harbour parasites and their presence within these environments has human-health implications. Bacterial pathogens may also affect human health, but the prevalence and diversity of such pathogens in wild dogs remains poorly studied. We examined the presence bacterial pathogens in peri-urban wild dogs to further understand the potential risks to human health. We collected faecal, whole blood, serum and nasal samples from wild dogs captured during council management programs within northeast New South Wales and southeast Queensland. Microbiological, molecular, and serological methods were used to detect and identify targeted pathogens. The results of this study indicate that carriage of bacterial pathogens by peri-urban wild dogs is less prevalent than parasitic pathogens. However, the presence of ampicillin-resistant bacteria remains of public health concern, as wild dogs may spread microbial resistant genes into the environment. The seroprevalence of C. burnetti suggests that wild dogs may be a reservoir of the pathogen and the detection in faeces suggests that they may be a possible source of Q-fever transmission in Queensland. We conclude that bacterial pathogens carried by peri-urban wild dogs pose potential deleterious impacts to public health. However, studies to further confirm these results are required and specific risk analyses are needed within human habitats, including assessing the associations of wild dog diets and other exposure sources.
Q fever, caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, is an important zoonotic disease worldwide. A... more Q fever, caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, is an important zoonotic disease worldwide. Australia has one of the highest reported incidences and seroprevalence of Q fever, and communities in the state of Queensland are at highest risk of exposure. Despite Australia’s Q fever vaccination programs, the number of reported Q fever cases has remained stable for the last few years. The extent to which Q fever notifications cluster in circumscribed communities is not well understood. This study aimed to retrospectively explore and identify the spatiotemporal variation in Q fever household and community clusters in Queensland reported during 2002 to 2017, and quantify potential within cluster drivers. We used Q fever notification data held in the Queensland Notifiable Conditions System to explore the geographical clustering patterns of Q fever incidence, and identified and estimated community Q fever spatiotemporal clusters using SatScan, Boston, MA, USA. The association between Q f...
Background A novel human parechovirus 3 Australian recombinant (HPeV3-AR) strain emerged in 2013 ... more Background A novel human parechovirus 3 Australian recombinant (HPeV3-AR) strain emerged in 2013 and coincided with biennial outbreaks of sepsis-like illnesses in infants. We evaluated the molecular evolution of the HPeV3-AR strain and its association with severe HPeV infections. Methods HPeV3-positive samples collected from hospitalized infants aged 5–252 days in 2 Australian states (2013–2020) and from a community-based birth cohort (2010–2014) were sequenced. Coding regions were used to conduct phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses. A recombinant-specific polymerase chain reaction was designed and utilized to screen all clinical and community HPeV3-positive samples. Results Complete coding regions of 54 cases were obtained, which showed the HPeV3-AR strain progressively evolving, particularly in the 3′ end of the nonstructural genes. The HPeV3-AR strain was not detected in the community birth cohort until the initial outbreak in late 2013. High-throughput screening showed that m...
In Australia, wild dogs (Canis familiaris) are common in peri-urban environments, live within a c... more In Australia, wild dogs (Canis familiaris) are common in peri-urban environments, live within a close distance to houses, and visit household backyards and other public high-use areas such as school grounds and parklands. Wild dogs are known to harbour parasites and their presence within these environments has human-health implications. Bacterial pathogens may also affect human health, but the prevalence and diversity of such pathogens in wild dogs remains poorly studied. We examined the presence bacterial pathogens in peri-urban wild dogs to further understand the potential risks to human health. We collected faecal, whole blood, serum and nasal samples from wild dogs captured during council management programs within northeast New South Wales and southeast Queensland. Microbiological, molecular, and serological methods were used to detect and identify targeted pathogens. The results of this study indicate that carriage of bacterial pathogens by peri-urban wild dogs is less prevale...
BackgroundHospital-based studies identify parechovirus (PeV), primarily PeV-A3, as an important c... more BackgroundHospital-based studies identify parechovirus (PeV), primarily PeV-A3, as an important cause of severe infections in young children. However, few community-based studies have been published and the true PeV infection burden is unknown. We investigated PeV epidemiology in healthy children participating in a community-based, longitudinal birth cohort study.MethodsAustralian children (n = 158) enrolled in the Observational Research in Childhood Infectious Diseases (ORChID) study were followed from birth until their second birthday. Weekly stool and nasal swabs and daily symptom diaries were collected. Swabs were tested for PeV by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and genotypes determined by subgenomic sequencing. Incidence rate, infection characteristics, clinical associations, and virus codetections were investigated.ResultsPeV was detected in 1423 of 11 124 (12.8%) and 17 of 8100 (0.2%) stool and nasal swabs, respectively. Major genotypes among the 306 infectio...
Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 2022
OBJECTIVE Recent surveys identified trachomatous inflammation - follicular (TF) at endemic levels... more OBJECTIVE Recent surveys identified trachomatous inflammation - follicular (TF) at endemic levels in the Torres Strait Islands; however, local health staff do not report trachomatous trichiasis (TT) in adults. We undertook a cross-sectional survey involving eye examination and microbiological testing to better understand this disconnect. METHODS We examined 169 of 207 (82%) residents and collected ocular swabs for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Chlamydia trachomatis. Other viral PCR tests and bacterial culture were also performed. RESULTS TF prevalence in children aged 5-9 years was 23% (7/30). No ocular C. trachomatis was identified by PCR. For the 72 participants (43%) with follicles, bacterial culture was positive for 11 (15%) individuals. No individual had trachomatous trichiasis. CONCLUSIONS Follicular conjunctivitis consistent with TF was prevalent but ocular C. trachomatis and cicatricial trachoma were absent. Non-chlamydial infections or environmental causes of ...
In Australia, wild dogs (Canis familiaris) are common in peri-urban environments, live within a c... more In Australia, wild dogs (Canis familiaris) are common in peri-urban environments, live within a close distance to houses, and visit household backyards and other public high-use areas such as school grounds and parklands. Wild dogs are known to harbour parasites and their presence within these environments has human-health implications. Bacterial pathogens may also affect human health, but the prevalence and diversity of such pathogens in wild dogs remains poorly studied. We examined the presence bacterial pathogens in peri-urban wild dogs to further understand the potential risks to human health. We collected faecal, whole blood, serum and nasal samples from wild dogs captured during council management programs within northeast New South Wales and southeast Queensland. Microbiological, molecular, and serological methods were used to detect and identify targeted pathogens. The results of this study indicate that carriage of bacterial pathogens by peri-urban wild dogs is less prevalent than parasitic pathogens. However, the presence of ampicillin-resistant bacteria remains of public health concern, as wild dogs may spread microbial resistant genes into the environment. The seroprevalence of C. burnetti suggests that wild dogs may be a reservoir of the pathogen and the detection in faeces suggests that they may be a possible source of Q-fever transmission in Queensland. We conclude that bacterial pathogens carried by peri-urban wild dogs pose potential deleterious impacts to public health. However, studies to further confirm these results are required and specific risk analyses are needed within human habitats, including assessing the associations of wild dog diets and other exposure sources.
Q fever, caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, is an important zoonotic disease worldwide. A... more Q fever, caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, is an important zoonotic disease worldwide. Australia has one of the highest reported incidences and seroprevalence of Q fever, and communities in the state of Queensland are at highest risk of exposure. Despite Australia’s Q fever vaccination programs, the number of reported Q fever cases has remained stable for the last few years. The extent to which Q fever notifications cluster in circumscribed communities is not well understood. This study aimed to retrospectively explore and identify the spatiotemporal variation in Q fever household and community clusters in Queensland reported during 2002 to 2017, and quantify potential within cluster drivers. We used Q fever notification data held in the Queensland Notifiable Conditions System to explore the geographical clustering patterns of Q fever incidence, and identified and estimated community Q fever spatiotemporal clusters using SatScan, Boston, MA, USA. The association between Q f...
Background A novel human parechovirus 3 Australian recombinant (HPeV3-AR) strain emerged in 2013 ... more Background A novel human parechovirus 3 Australian recombinant (HPeV3-AR) strain emerged in 2013 and coincided with biennial outbreaks of sepsis-like illnesses in infants. We evaluated the molecular evolution of the HPeV3-AR strain and its association with severe HPeV infections. Methods HPeV3-positive samples collected from hospitalized infants aged 5–252 days in 2 Australian states (2013–2020) and from a community-based birth cohort (2010–2014) were sequenced. Coding regions were used to conduct phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses. A recombinant-specific polymerase chain reaction was designed and utilized to screen all clinical and community HPeV3-positive samples. Results Complete coding regions of 54 cases were obtained, which showed the HPeV3-AR strain progressively evolving, particularly in the 3′ end of the nonstructural genes. The HPeV3-AR strain was not detected in the community birth cohort until the initial outbreak in late 2013. High-throughput screening showed that m...
In Australia, wild dogs (Canis familiaris) are common in peri-urban environments, live within a c... more In Australia, wild dogs (Canis familiaris) are common in peri-urban environments, live within a close distance to houses, and visit household backyards and other public high-use areas such as school grounds and parklands. Wild dogs are known to harbour parasites and their presence within these environments has human-health implications. Bacterial pathogens may also affect human health, but the prevalence and diversity of such pathogens in wild dogs remains poorly studied. We examined the presence bacterial pathogens in peri-urban wild dogs to further understand the potential risks to human health. We collected faecal, whole blood, serum and nasal samples from wild dogs captured during council management programs within northeast New South Wales and southeast Queensland. Microbiological, molecular, and serological methods were used to detect and identify targeted pathogens. The results of this study indicate that carriage of bacterial pathogens by peri-urban wild dogs is less prevale...
BackgroundHospital-based studies identify parechovirus (PeV), primarily PeV-A3, as an important c... more BackgroundHospital-based studies identify parechovirus (PeV), primarily PeV-A3, as an important cause of severe infections in young children. However, few community-based studies have been published and the true PeV infection burden is unknown. We investigated PeV epidemiology in healthy children participating in a community-based, longitudinal birth cohort study.MethodsAustralian children (n = 158) enrolled in the Observational Research in Childhood Infectious Diseases (ORChID) study were followed from birth until their second birthday. Weekly stool and nasal swabs and daily symptom diaries were collected. Swabs were tested for PeV by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and genotypes determined by subgenomic sequencing. Incidence rate, infection characteristics, clinical associations, and virus codetections were investigated.ResultsPeV was detected in 1423 of 11 124 (12.8%) and 17 of 8100 (0.2%) stool and nasal swabs, respectively. Major genotypes among the 306 infectio...
Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 2022
OBJECTIVE Recent surveys identified trachomatous inflammation - follicular (TF) at endemic levels... more OBJECTIVE Recent surveys identified trachomatous inflammation - follicular (TF) at endemic levels in the Torres Strait Islands; however, local health staff do not report trachomatous trichiasis (TT) in adults. We undertook a cross-sectional survey involving eye examination and microbiological testing to better understand this disconnect. METHODS We examined 169 of 207 (82%) residents and collected ocular swabs for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Chlamydia trachomatis. Other viral PCR tests and bacterial culture were also performed. RESULTS TF prevalence in children aged 5-9 years was 23% (7/30). No ocular C. trachomatis was identified by PCR. For the 72 participants (43%) with follicles, bacterial culture was positive for 11 (15%) individuals. No individual had trachomatous trichiasis. CONCLUSIONS Follicular conjunctivitis consistent with TF was prevalent but ocular C. trachomatis and cicatricial trachoma were absent. Non-chlamydial infections or environmental causes of ...
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