Public Health and Communicable Diseases - SA Health - SA.Gov.au

While ongoing monitoring and analysis over a longertime period is required to confirm changes in utilisationrates, some trends in usage of individual antimicrobialclasses and agents within classes are evident.Intervention programs to modify prescribing patternsfor classes linked to the emergence of multi-resistantspecies and other organisms, such as Clostridiumdifficile, should be considered a priority for all SouthAustralian hospitals.References1. Haley RW. The scientific basis for using surveillanceand risk factor data to reduce nosocomialinfection rates. Journal of Hospital Infection.1995;30(Supplement):3-14.2. An Expert Working Group of the Australian InfectionControl Association. Blood Stream Infection (BSI)Definition. National Surveillance of HealthcareAssociated Infection in Australia. Approved byHealthcare Associated Infections Advisory Committeeof Safety and Quality–Sept 04. Available from: http://www.safetyandquality.org/index.cfm?page=Action#suvlncdefine3. Bartlett J, Perl T. The New Clostridium difficile - WhatDoes It Mean? New England Journal of Medicine.2005;353(23):2503-5.For further information regarding either definitions usedor information discussed in this report please refer tothe “Definitions” section of the Infection Control Servicewebsite. http://www.healthsa.sa.gov.au/infectioncontrol/Communicable DiseaseControl Branch Report– 01 July to 31 December 2005VECTORBORNE DISEASESRoss River virusThere were 64 cases reported during this period. A totalof 57 cases were notified in 2004 (26 males, 38 females,age range: 8 to 85 years). The majority of cases eitherresided in or reported recent travel to the Riverland,South-East and Far North of South Australia.The last major outbreak of Ross River virus infections inSouth Australia occurred during the summer of 2000-2001. Figure 1 (see below) illustrates 3 to 4 yearly cyclicincreases in the number of cases of Ross River virusinfection.Barmah Forest virusIn the period under review, 15 cases of Barmah Forestvirus infection were reported. A total of four cases werereported for the same period in 2004. Of the 15 cases,ten (67%) either resided in or reported travel to ruralSouth Australia.An epidemic curve and source map illustrating RossRiver virus activity in South Australia can be viewedon our web site: http://www.health.sa.gov.au/pehs/.Information on preventing vector borne diseases andFight the Bite campaign can also be obtained by visitingthis website.Dengue feverThere were three reports of dengue fever in people whoreported recent travel to Asia (one male, two females,age range: 14 to 45 years).40