bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Australian Biosecurity CRC for Emerging Infectious Diseases (AB-CRC)
Authors: S Mackenzie John , Adams Lisa
Published: April 2020

The Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease (AB-CRC) was a successful applicant under the Federal Government?s 2002 CRC programme, and will be formally established from July 2003. The aim of the AB-CRC is to protect Australia?s health, livestock, wildlife and economic resources by developing new capabilities to monitor, assess, predict and respond to emerging and exotic disease threats which impact on national and regional biosecurity. Emerging diseases are defined as those which are novel, previously unrecognised diseases, or those which are increasing in incidence or geographic range. The threats may be natural, accidental (such as an infected traveller) or deliberate (as in bioterrorism).
Biocontrol of aflatoxins in peanuts
Authors: I Pitt J , D Hocking Ailsa
Published: April 2020

Aflatoxins remain the most important mycotoxin problem in the world, and peanuts are a major source of these toxins. Control of aflatoxin levels in peanuts on a commercial scale is possible by colour sorting and aflatoxin assays on shelled peanuts, and this is widely practised in developed countries. However, this procedure is expensive.
Armillaria root rot
Authors: L Smith-White J , A Summerell B
Published: April 2020

Armillaria luteobubalina is a fungal phytopathogen endemic to Australia. First described by Podger et al, this species affects a wide range of plants in horticultural and native environments of temperate regions within Australia, colonising root and trunk tissue. This colonisation causes tissue necrosis and ultimately death of the host, giving it the disease name of Armillaria root rot. This disease has brought about considerable economic loss to horticultural, forestry and amenity plantings. To date, control options are limited, with removal of the infected material as the only proven successful management procedure.
Mycorrhizas and revegetation
Authors: McGee Peter , Pattinson Greg , Markovina Anne-Laure
Published: April 2020

Much of Australia has extremely impoverished soil. Phosphate is particularly deficient. The major difficulty in revegetating these soils after severe disturbance is that plant survival and growth is unpredictable. Mycorrhizas are associations between soilborne fungi and the roots of plants. Of particular interest are the arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) whose fungi form an internal colony in the roots of some 70% of all plant species. In AM, the fungi function as extensions of the root system, enabling the plant to increase uptake of non-labile minerals, especially phosphorus (P), from soil. The fungus gains its organic energy from the plant, and can only be maintained in the presence of living roots.
Secondary metabolites: The focus of biodiscovery and perhaps the key to unlocking new depths in taxonomy
Authors: Lacey Ernest , Tennant Shaun
Published: April 2020

Drug discovery is driven, either directly or indirectly, by biodiversity. Over half of the new chemical entities approved by regulatory authorities over the past decade are from natural sources. Australia?s natural resources contain unique, diverse and geographically distinct pools of biodiversity that have been only superficially utilised.
Endophytic fungi add to plant defences
Authors: McGee Peter , Dingle Juliet , Macarthur Deborah , Creighton Nicola , Istifadah Noor
Published: April 2020

Plants have a battery of physical and chemical defences that enable them to be resistant to herbivores and pathogens. Least understood and probably most effective are the induced compounds that act systemically within the plant. The induced resistance may be long- or short-lived. Some compounds appear to be highly specific, while others have a broad capacity to decrease colonisation by viral, bacterial and fungal invaders. At the same time, apparently benign fungi, known as endophytes, can be isolated from healthy tissues of most plants.
Vertical Transmissions, November 2003
Authors: Ellis David
Published: April 2020

Congratulations to Gillian Lewis and her NZMS colleagues for hosting an excellent ASM/NZMS joint scientific meeting in Auckland last month. A total of 585 participants enjoyed a quality programme and some excellent New Zealand hospitality. I would like to especially thank Janette, Meg and Chris from the National Office for once again doing a great job, and all those ASM members who managed to make the trip and who contributed to another excellent meeting.
The role of the Australian Centre for Astrobiology (Centre of Research Excellence) in the Macquarie University Biotechnology Research Institute
Authors: L Bergquist Peter
Published: April 2020

It is widely recognised that there is a strong need to link microbiology more closely with geology in order to find explanations for many geological phenomena. Some of the organisms involved in geological processes are also of interest to the biotechnologist.
The fall and rise of the plankton
Authors: Hill Andrew , Grey Kath
Published: April 2020

Hidden deep within rocks of central Australia is a microfossil record that may revolutionise our interpretation of the evolution of plants and animals, thanks to an asteroid that slammed into South Australia 580 million years ago.
The living rocks of Shark Bay
Authors: P Burns Brendan , A Neilan Brett
Published: April 2020

Stromatolites have been present on Earth, at various levels of distribution and diversity, for more than 3 billion years. Stromatolites are sedimentary structures produced by the sediment-trapping, binding and/or precipitation activity of resident microbial communities, in particular cyanobacteria.
Martian life: stuck somewhere between inevitable biochemistry and quirky biology
Authors: H Lineweaver Charles
Published: April 2020

If traces of life are found on Mars, the question that needs to be asked is: How independent is this life from life on Earth? A paradigm shift is needed from ?Was there a second genesis?? to ?How much of one was there?? This abandonment of a picture in black and white to a more nuanced grey is based on the idea that the boundary between life and non-life was not sharp and that the origin of life was an extended process of molecular tinkering.
Real-time testing of foods: the Holy Grail?
Authors: Cox Julian
Published: April 2020

The approach to quality assurance and control in the food industry has changed, especially with the widespread implementation of preventative, process-oriented food safety plans grounded in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and risk assessment principles. However, microbiological analysis of foods remains critical to the management of quality and safety of food products, particularly with respect to the detection of pathogens. The time to complete tests has decreased significantly but, the required sensitivity of the test, the physiological state of the target analyte, the food matrix and associated non-target microflora, all constrain further acceleration of testing and limit the potential for achieving real-time testing of foods, particularly when testing for pathogens such as Salmonella. While real time testing may be the ultimate goal, is it food microbiology?s Holy Grail?
The rational use of nucleic acid amplification testing for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex
Authors: Lumb Richard
Published: April 2020

On the basis of clinical significance, Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the most important member of the genus Mycobacterium. It is closely related genetically to Mycobacterium bovis, M. africanum, Mycobacterium microti, Mycobacterium bovis BCG (the bacillus of Calmette-Guerin) and the recently described Mycobacterium tuberculosis subspecies Canetti. Together they are termed the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC).
A unique strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a cautionary tale for users of molecular techniques
Authors: Frank Haverkort C , Gilpin Christopher
Published: April 2020

Molecular techniques are now widely applied in Australia and elsewhere for the direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in clinical specimens and culturally enhanced material. All nucleic acid testing methods have the potential to give false negative results due to mutations that may arise at primer or probe binding sites. We describe one such strain of M. tuberculosis that was encountered in 1995 and that has not been encountered in Australia since.
Guest Editorial, March 2005
Authors: Rawlinson Bill
Published: April 2020

Viruses provide a fascinating study. They are the simplest living organisms, and self replicating RNA particles (the earliest viruses), were most likely the earliest organisms on Earth able to replicate and hence promulgate their species. They still represent the simplest known living organisms at a molecular level, particularly if viroids and prions are included within the discussion.
Wildlife health surveillance in Australia
Authors: Woods Rupert , Bunn Christopher
Published: April 2020

It is now recognised that those countries which conduct disease surveillance of their wild animal populations are more likely to detect the presence of infectious and zoonotic diseases and to swiftly adopt counter measures. The surveillance and monitoring of disease outbreaks in wildlife populations is particularly relevant in these days of rapid human and animal translocation, when the contact between wild and domestic animals is close and the threat of bioterrorist attack is very real. A major advantage of an efficient disease monitoring program for wildlife is the early detection of new and emerging diseases, some of which may have serious zoonotic and economic implications. A clear understanding of disease agents present in wildlife, and their effects on wildlife, domestic animals and humans is thus of paramount importance for management.
Kangaroo Cryptosporidium: Is it a wildlife disease?
Authors: Power Michelle
Published: April 2020

Cryptosporidium, an apicomplexan protozoan parasite, is a causative agent of enteric disease in a broad range of hosts. The parasite has been identified in greater than 170 vertebrates, including 13 marsupial species. Cryptosporidium is well known to Sydney residents, who were forced to boil their drinking water during the 1998 Sydney water crisis when high levels of Cryptosporidium oocysts (the infective stage) were detected in the drinking water supply. During the crisis it was not ascertained if the oocysts were of a type infectious to humans, however as there was no reported increase in human cryptosporidiosis it appears unlikely that they were. Although there was much speculation the source of oocysts causing the contamination was not identified.
Amphibian disease and declines: Chytridiomycosis
Authors: P Symonds Emma
Published: April 2020

Chytridiomycosis is caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a unique fungal organism of the phylum Chytridiomycota, a large group of ubiquitous fungi better known as silent digesters of organic waste or as parasites of nematodes and unicellular organisms such as pollen or algae. Chytr is the Greek root for earthen pot, Batracho ? frog and dendrobates the genus of frogs from which it was first formally described in 1999. When viewed with a scanning electron microscope it is easy to understand the origins of the name chytrid given to this group of fungi.
Anti-Brucella antibodies in pinnipeds of Australia
Authors: E Dawson Claire
Published: April 2020

Brucella are Gram-negative intracellular bacteria capable of infecting a range of species including man. Currently divided into six species based mainly on differences in pathogenicity and host preference, the infections produced are characteristically localised in the reproductive organs and may cause abortions in some species. Exposure occurs through contact with infected animals and animal products such as unpasteurised dairy products and meat. The disease is endemic throughout many areas of the world.
The Asian tsunami ? the first days of the Australian response
Authors: McKinnon Moira
Published: April 2020

In the Indian Ocean in the early hours of the morning of 26 December 2004, an earthquake measuring 9 on the Richter Scale lifted a 1200km stretch of the earth?s plate up by 20m. This caused a massive movement of water which hit the Sumatran coast, 250kms away, in less than 1 hour. Sequentially, it swallowed islands and coastlines, overall affecting 13 countries, including Indonesia, India, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Its destructive pathway reached as far as Somalia, Africa. By the evening of 27 December, the death toll was reported to be expected to be as high as 7,000. Two weeks later, the estimate was over 220,000 and approximately 2 million homeless. The response to this disaster required a rapid, international co-coordinated effort.
Initial civilian laboratory response
Authors: Winter Bruce , Turnbull Richard , Engler Cathy , Bastian Ivan
Published: April 2020

Banda Aceh, the capital of Indonesia?sAceh Province, was the closest major city to the epicentre of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that devastated large parts of southeast Asia on 26 December 2005.
Quality management and biological resource centres
Authors: Weihs Vera
Published: April 2020

The 2001 OECD report Biological resource centres: underpinning the future of life sciences and biotechnology resulted in the establishment of the Guidance for the operation of BRCs. This document still is in its final stage of discussions and has not yet been passed. Nevertheless, many traditional service culture collections already comply (or try to) with these guidelines in their daily work.
NBRC, a national biological resource centre of Japan
Authors: Suzuki Ken-ichiro
Published: April 2020

As defined in the OECD report issued in 2001, biological resource centres (BRCs) are an essential part of the infrastructure underpinning life sciences and biotechnology. A wide variety of biological materials such as microbial cultures, biomass, DNA, etc are supplied by BRCs. The databases available from BRCs are not only for the sales of materials, but also for those containing scientific information catching up with other advanced bioinformatics. In addition to these scientific contents, BRCs are expected to operate in the management of intellectual properties and promotion of the government?s policy on biosafety, quarantine, etc.
The three cornerstones for biological resource centres
Authors: Storms Virginie , Desmeth Philippe , Swings Jean
Published: April 2020

Biological resource centres (BRCs) are an essential part of the infrastructure underpinning life sciences and biotechnology. The Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) taskforce on BRCs (1999-2004), has put in a great effort of thought to define the new BRCs and forms the basis for the future development of the actual culture and reference collections. The effort, which has taken so many years and was, from the beginning, inspired by many WFCC members, has resulted in an important visionary document.
The OECD initiative: towards a Global Biological Resource Centre Network (GBRCN)
Authors: Gillespie Iain
Published: April 2020

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has played a central role in the development of the concept of biological resource centres (BRCs) since the outset. Why does an international governmental organisation that brings together 30 mostly highly industrialised countries and that is focused on globalisation and economic growth have an interest in such an area?
Are we prepared for the revolution in diagnostic technology?
Authors: Della-Porta Antony
Published: April 2020

The advances in diagnostic technology have been significant over the past 3 decades. The introduction of the enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) revolutionised serological assays and enabled large scale automation of serological testing. Equally, the introduction of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) enabled the amplification of DNA and RNA gene segments and the detection of infectious agents with high sensitivity and specificity.
The need for regulation and standardisation of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) assays for the diagnosis of acute tropical infections: dengue as a case study
Authors: D Blacksell Stuart , P J Day Nicholas
Published: April 2020

A recent review of diagnostics for the developing world stated that the characteristics of the ideal diagnostic test were: ? Affordable by those at risk of infection. ? Sensitive (few false-negatives). ? Specific (few false-positives). ? User-friendly (simple to perform and requiring minimal training). ? Rapid (to enable treatment at first visit) and robust (does not require refrigerated storage). ? Equipment-free. ? Delivered to those who need it. The need for such tests has lead to the development of rapid in vitro diagnostic (IVD) assays for tropical infections such as dengue, tuberculosis, leptospirosis, melioidosis and malaria, with many based on immunochromatographic test (ICT) principles.
Quality control and quality assurance for point of care (POC) diagnostic tests
Authors: Rawlinson William , Escott Ros , Baleriola Cristina , Morris Arthur
Published: April 2020

Point of care (POC) tests are those performed outside a central laboratory, using testing devices that are easily transportable to perform testing near where the patient is located. POC testing is also known as near patient testing, patient self testing, rapid testing and bedside testing. This definition involves a wide range of types of POC testing.
Developing high affinity antibodies as diagnostics
Authors: L Wark Kim
Published: April 2020

The success of diagnostic reagents in the market today is measured by their level of specificity, affinity and stability. In the case of antibodies which represent approximately 30% of the global diagnostic market, the majority of molecules isolated from na�ve or synthetic libraries have low affinities in the micromolar range which are not sufficient for diagnostic applications.
Beyond antibodies ? lessons from bacterial ?immunity?
Authors: D Nuttall Stewart , M Juraja Suzy , A Carmichael Jennifer
Published: April 2020

Isolation and production of highly specific protein-based binding molecules are crucial to the ever expanding diagnostics, therapeutics and protein array fields. Traditionally, such reagents have been sourced from vertebrate immune systems, where antibodies have evolved over millennia into highly effective molecules of immune surveillance capable of targeting a huge range of targets in response to infection and disease. Now, a growing number of alternative protein scaffolds are being investigated as specific binding molecules incorporating a diverse and powerful range of binding and recognition interfaces. These are being sourced from human proteins, from alternative immune molecules present in evolutionarily old vertebrates, and from highly evolved binding proteins in prokaryotic systems.
The Australian synchrotron and its impact on biology in Australia
Authors: Varghese Jose
Published: April 2020

The construction of the Australian synchrotron is proceeding on time and nearing completion, and the first suite of beamlines are expected to commence test experiments in April next year. The advent of this facility will be a big boost to the biological community, especially in the area of structural biology and protein characterisation.
Development of an Australian pandemic vaccine
Authors: Ryan David
Published: April 2020

Although influenza pandemics have plagued mankind for centuries, a pandemic resulting from the current H5N1 threat would be a unique experience in many ways. Greater awareness and increased surveillance have allowed us to watch events unfolding and have facilitated early detection and containment of disease episodes. Well developed strategies for containment and availability of the antiviral drugs Relenza and Tamiflu for both therapy and prophylaxis further strengthen our capabilities in retarding development of a pandemic and give us hope of a delay in rapid dissemination at an early stage of a pandemic.
Avian influenza in South East Asia
Authors: Selleck Paul
Published: April 2020

Since the H5N1 virus first appeared in China in 1996, it has undergone dramatic evolution, both genetically and in its biological properties. This article discusses the evolution of H5N1 and the paradigm shift that has occurred in our understanding of the ecology and biology of avian influenza viruses as a result of the H5N1 experience.
Yeast, cocoa beans and chocolate
Authors: Fleet Graham , Dircks Hugh
Published: April 2020

Yeast play a key role in the fermentation of many foods andbeverages. The best known examples are bread, beer and wine, where understanding of the ecology, biochemistry, physiology and genomics of the yeast contribution is well advanced. Yeast also have prominent roles in the production of other well-known commodities, such as cheeses, salami-style meat sausages, and soy sauce, where their activities in the fermentation and maturation processes are attracting increasing research. Still, there are many other products where yeast have a significant role in fermentation, but aspects of their contributions and how these impact on product quality remain a mystery. Such products include many indigenous fermented foods of Asia, Africa and Central and South America, and two economically important cash crops, cocoa beans and coffee. Consider life without chocolate or good quality coffee! We have been studying cocoa bean fermentations in Indonesia and now in North Queensland, Australia. In this article, we review the role of yeast in the production of cocoa beans and chocolate.
Therapeutic products from yeast
Authors: Macreadie Ian
Published: April 2020

Over the past three decades recombinant DNA methodologies for yeast have opened a plethora of new biotechnology opportunities for biotechnology?s oldest organism. It is now possible to introduce foreign genes that are capable of encoding rare proteins or new pathways that could lead to the production of rare or novel biological or chemical entities (NBEs or NCEs).
?Cradle?to?grave? regulation of mRNA fate
Authors: H Beilharz Traude , Preiss Thomas
Published: April 2020

Microarray studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have set the benchmark for genome-wide analyses, available data-sets covering practically every stage of gene expression from DNA-binding by transcription factors to mRNA export, sub-cellular localisation, translation and decay. A theme to emerge from such data has been the prevalence of coordinate gene regulation. Thus, gene modules or ?regulons? are well recognised at the level of gene transcription and the activity of transcription factors provides an obvious molecular explanation for such coordination. More surprising was the organisation of mRNAs into co-regulated ?post-transcriptional operons?. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), but also ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes involving noncoding RNA, have been proposed as the conceptual equivalent of transcription factors at this level.
Antarctic metagenomics
Authors: Cavicchioli Rick
Published: April 2020

The DNA sequencing of whole environmental samples (referred to as metagenomics, environmental genomics, ecogenomics or community genomics) captures genome surveys of uncultured microorganisms. By moving away from a species-by-species investigation of the environment, metagenomics enables a greatly expanded view of the diversity and metabolic function of the resident microbial communities. The southern polar region plays a critical role in maintaining microbial processes that are essential for the health of the world?s ecosystems, yet we know less about microorganisms on the vast Antarctic continent than we do about the mould in our refrigerators. Metagenomics offers an unprecedented means to reveal the secrets of Antarctic microorganisms and to learn about the unique, cold-adapted processes that they perform.
Long in the tooth: Oral bacterial communities and chronic periodontitis
Authors: G Dashper Stuart , J Byrne Samantha , K Orth Rebecca , C Reynolds Eric
Published: April 2020

The oral cavity provides a fertile environment for the growth of microorganisms. It has a high and relatively constant temperature, high moisture level and is rich in nutrients. The range of hard and soft tissue surfaces provides a variety of distinctly different microhabitats. The unique, non-shedding hard surfaces of teeth in particular allow for accretion of the thick, complex, structured polymicrobial biofilms known as dental plaque. The majority of oral bacteria exist as components of these biofilms that confer benefit to the host by helping to prevent colonisation by exogenous, often pathogenic, microbes. Colonisation of the oral cavity by bacteria occurs soon after birth and a diverse commensal microbiota becomes established. Over 700 bacterial taxa inhabit the oral cavity making it one of the most bacterially biodiverse regions of the human body. This biodiversity exists despite the large number and variety of antimicrobial agents produced by the host in saliva, gingival crevice fluid and on epithelial surfaces, and the acquired immune response to particular bacterial species. There is a major division between the ecologies of supragingival and subgingival plaque found on the tooth surface above and below the gingival margin respectively.
The slippery business of slime control
Authors: A Rice Scott , Kjelleberg Staffan
Published: April 2020

What do that scummy feeling on your teeth in the morning, corrosion of oil and gas pipelines, and the slick film building up on the mystery food in the back of your refrigerator have in common? They are all manifestations of microbial slime, which is the result of bacteria growing as a community on a surface held together in an extracellular matrix. These are more commonly referred to as biofilms, which we constantly encounter in everyday life. Bacteria seem to favour growing as biofilms because this provides a range of distinct advantages, including better access to nutrients that partition to surfaces, protection from external stresses such as UV and inhibitors produced by competing microorganisms, and resistance to protozoan grazing that is otherwise one of the main mortality factors for bacteria.
Metaproteomics for analysis of microbial function in the environment
Authors: L Bond Philip , Wexler Margaret
Published: April 2020

This report briefly describes the use of proteomic analyses to examine protein expression directly from environmental samples (termed metaproteomics). This approach has potential for solving one of the major challenges facing microbial ecologists, by providing insight into microbial function directly within samples.
Microbes and disturbance
Authors: Gibb Karen , Streten-Joyce Claire , Parry David
Published: April 2020

The microbiology of disturbed environments is a vigorous area of research that has benefited from cultivation-independent molecular techniques. Our challenge now is to embrace the concept of ?microbial landscapes? in all its complexity and recognise the multidisciplinary nature of molecular and microbial ecology.
Vertical Transmission, November 2007
Authors: Christiansen Keryn
Published: April 2020

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Liz Harry to the roles of Vice-President Scientific Affairs and Chair of the National Scientific Advisory Committee (NSAC). Liz will be well known to many of our members. She is an associate professor at the Institute for the Biotechnology of Infectious Diseases, at the University of Technology, Sydney, where she heads a team of twelve research and postdoctoral students. Liz has been very active within The Australian Society for Microbiology (ASM). She has been a committee member in the NSW branch for the last three years, was chair-elect of that branch in 2006, and chair in 2007. She has served on the national council and is also on the subcommittee for the visiting speakers program. Although already acquainted with Liz, I really got to know her when we both attended ?Science Meets Parliament? earlier this year. I was impressed by her energy, her enthusiasm for the discipline and her commitment to her students and to ASM. I feel confident that she will make a major contribution to the society and look forward to working with her on the executive committee. Liz takes over from Hatch Stokes who is now the President-Elect.
Towards an integrated approach to the problem of antimicrobial resistance in Australia
Authors: Tapsall John , Merlino John
Published: April 2020

'The threat is real, the science is in, the time for action is now!' A familiar refrain that for most of us is associated with the debate surrounding global warming, but surely equally applicable to the situation surrounding its microbiological equivalent ? antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We are all well aware of AMR and the consequences of its emergence and spread, following the recognition of this phenomenon when the ?antibiotic era? began only a few decades ago. Perhaps we have been somewhat complacent about AMR, in that we have relied overmuch on the continuing development of new and better antimicrobial agents. As the efficacy of older antimicrobials wanes and the supply of new agents declines in the face of increasing AMR, some have suggested that we may be facing a ?post-antibiotic era?. This edition of Microbiology Australia provides an overview of the current situation and effects of AMR, especially with regard to Australia. The topic is extensive and the ramifications wide, so the contributions in this edition are aimed to provide only a flavour of the intricacies of the overall problem of AMR, the mechanisms involved, and the known and possible means by which AMR may be contained.
Impact of antifungal resistance in Australia
Authors: Ellis David , Sorrell Tania , Chen Sharon
Published: April 2020

The last two to three decades have seen a major increase in invasive fungal infections (IFIs), a small, but increasing proportion of which are caused by pathogens with partial or complete resistance to antifungal drugs. The increase in IFIs has largely been associated with the increase in immunocompromised and critically ill patients. Opportunistic infections with relatively drug-resistant environmental fungi account for much of the resistance. In addition, amongst the only fungal species to colonise humans, Candida, two species that are resistant (C. krusei) or relatively resistant (C. glabrata) to fluconazole have emerged. In part this is explained by the selection pressure exerted by widespread use of fluconazole. Together with the introduction of new antifungal drugs with selective and/or variable antifungal activity, these changes have stimulated interest in understanding mechanisms and origins of resistance, the identification of resistance in the laboratory and its relationship to clinical outcomes, and in surveillance of clinical isolates and populations at risk of IFIs.
AMR and tuberculosis: Voldemort returns?
Authors: Coulter Christopher
Published: April 2020

There has been significant progress in implementing global tuberculosis (TB) control strategies in the last decade. Indeed, in all but sub-Saharan Africa, the incidence of TB appears to be declining. While only the Western Pacific region reached the World Health Organization (WHO) imposed 2005 STOP TB program targets, worldwide case detection and treatment success has greatly improved. Why is there no celebration?; the number of new cases continues to steadily rise, particularly in China, India and the African continent and an alarming proportion of those infected with TB are also infected with HIV. Just as Voldemort, the embodiment of evil in JK Rowling?s Harry Potter novels, appears defeated but returns stronger than ever, mortality and morbidity of TB is increasing significantly in parts of the globe where antimicrobial resistance has emerged.
An ongoing national programme to reduce antibiotic prescription and use
Authors: M Weekes Lynn , M Mackson Judith , A Artist Margaret , Wutzke Sonia
Published: April 2020

High levels of antibiotic use have been associated with higher levels of antimicrobial resistance. The National Prescribing Service (NPS) has been running national programs to reduce prescription and use of antibiotics in Australia since 1999. These programs have used a range of strategies to influence general practitioners, community pharmacists and consumers. Over time, there have been modest changes in consumer attitudes towards antibiotics and antibiotic prescription rates continue to decline.
Vertical Transmission, March 2008
Authors: Christiansen Keryn
Published: April 2020

The Melbourne meeting is drawing close. The local Melbourne organising committee, NSAC and the Rubbo Committee have put together an excellent programme and outstanding speakers. The opening ceremony will set the benchmark for the rest of the meeting. Professor Peter Doherty will speak on The role of leadership in changing times. Professor Doherty, who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology together with Rolf Zinkernagel, discovered how T cells recognise their target antigens in combination with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins. Professor Doherty is currently an NHMRC Burnet Fellow and Laureate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne. While maintaining an active research programme, he is also an advocate for innovation, liberal education and the role of science in the community. He has published two books for the general public, his semi-autobiographical book The beginner?s guide to winning the Nobel Prize and, more recently, A light history of hot air. I?m sure all attendees of the meeting will look forward to this fantastic start to ASM 2008.
Using biology to add value to waste lignin streams
Authors: Dumsday Geoff
Published: April 2020

Arising from the need to find renewable sources of fuels and chemicals, a number of biological and chemical processes are in development or have been commercialised that enable the use of biomass as a starting material. Examples that have reached full commercial scale include production of 1,3?propanediol (a monomer for production of a plastic similar to the polyethylene used in plastic bottles) and lactic acid which is also a monomer used in the production of polylactic acid ? a biodegradable plastic.
Towards a ‘tailor made’ biocatalysis
Authors: Cerdobbel An , Vandamme Erick J , Soetaert Wim
Published: April 2020

Microbial enzymes are used today in the most diverse industrial sectors. However, it is only in recent years that fundamental knowledge has been acquired that allows for a rational ? rather than an empirical ? development and application of microbial enzyme processes. These enzymes are primarily used as an end product or a processing aid in the agricultural sector, food and feed industry, the detergent sector, the textile industry and health care sector. In these sectors they replace or adjust the familiar (bio)chemical processes, or plant or animal enzymes. But they can also perform totally new ?chemical? reactions, with the principal aim of ?improving? and/or modifying the ?substrate?.
Bacteriophage biocontrol: the technology matures
Authors: Goodridge Lawrence D , Abedon Stephen T
Published: April 2020

Use of bacteriophages (phages) as bacterial biocontrol agents was first envisioned by the phage pioneer Felix d?Herelle, and an increasing number of peer-reviewed studies point to the potential of phages to control spoilage and pathogenic bacteria in food. Several such phage-based biocontrol products have recently received regulatory approval and some have been commercialised. Obstacles nevertheless remain before widespread implementation can be achieved. These include consumer acceptance of the addition of ?viruses? to food as well as various commercial-production issues. Reviews of basic principles of phage-based biocontrol can be found elsewhere. Here we document recent phage-biocontrol regulatory successes as well as production considerations relevant to phage utilisation as a food additive.
New gene technology certification guidelines
Authors: Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) Office of the
Published: April 2020

Over the past 12 months, the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) has implemented a number of major reforms to the certification guidelines for physical containment (PC) facilities. The recent changes are more outcome-focussed and are more aligned with other standards and regulations (www.daff.gov.au/aqis/import/general-info/qap/class-5/criteria, www.standards.com.au).
The WHO Collaborating Centre for Biosafety in Microbiology
Authors: Della-Porta Tony , Catton Michael
Published: April 2020

The World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Biosafety in Microbiology has been established at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) for over 2 decades and played a significant role in the development of the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual and the WHO Biorisk Guidelines. It has also contributed to WHO?s international biosafety programmes and to the raising awareness of biosafety in Australia.
A mobile laboratory for real time analysis during forensic operations
Authors: Roffey Paul , Norman Keith , Royds David
Published: April 2020

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have developed the Mobilab, a mobile forensics laboratory, to provide on-site support to Australian Capital Territory (ACT), national and international investigations.
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Nimmo Graeme , Coombs Geoffrey W
Published: April 2020

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major bacterial pathogens of man, causing a variety of diseases from mild skin and soft-tissue infections to severe invasive infections with high mortality. In the healthcare setting it is the most frequent cause of surgical site, lower respiratory tract and cardiovascular infections and the second most common cause of blood stream infections and pneumonia. The ability of S. aureus to develop resistance to all classes of antimicrobials, in particular the �-lactams, has become a major global problem. In the pre-antibiotic era, the mortality rate for severe staphylococcal sepsis was as high as 90%. In a recent meta-analysis of nine studies of S. aureus bacteraemia in the antibiotic era, although the mean mortality rate due to methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) was 12% (ranging from 0 to 38%), for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) the mean was 29% (ranging from 8 to 50%). Whilst estimates vary, the mortality associated with MRSA is on average twice that with MSSA.
Epidemiology of MRSA in Australia
Authors: Nimmo Graeme R , Coombs Geoffrey W
Published: April 2020

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has presented challenges to laboratories and clinicians since it first appeared in Australia in the mid-1960s. However, in spite of its long presence and familiarity, a clear understanding of its epidemiology has only been possible with the recent advent of sequence-based typing methods (see the article by O?Brien and Giffard, page 131).
Detection of MRSA nasal colonisation using the BD GeneOhm MRSA Assay
Authors: Coombs Geoffrey
Published: April 2020

The BD GeneOhm MRSA Assay is a qualitative in vitro test for the rapid direct detection of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) nasal colonisation. The test performed on the Smart Cycler utilises polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the amplification of MRSA DNA and fluorogenic target-specific hybridisation probes for the detection of the amplified DNA. The procedure takes about 60-75 minutes, depending on the number of specimens processed, allowing same-day reporting within a few hours of specimen collection.
Congenital and perinatal cytomegalovirus (CMV): has diagnosis improved in 30 years?
Authors: Howard Jonathan , Hall Beverley , Rawlinson William
Published: April 2020

The implication of a diagnosis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) during pregnancy or in the neonatal period remains uncertain despite our increased understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. Current tests for CMV include serological tests (usually EIA IgG, IgM, avidity) and nucleic acid testing (NAT). When used together, these tests offer improved reliability in diagnosis of CMV in pregnant women and infants.
What happens when a baby dies: stillbirth investigations for infection and other aetiologies
Authors: Chaudry S , Khong TY , Charles AK , Keil AD
Published: April 2020

Infections in stillbirths are common, often clinically silent and need to be screened. The microbiology laboratory needs to have the appropriate culture techniques and expertise. The results of the clinical features, the pathology findings of the fetus and the placenta and the microbiological and serological features need to be interpreted together; individual results should not be considered in isolation.
Longer-term outcomes of infections in pregnancy: pathogenesis of diabetes and other chronic infections
Authors: Craig Maria E , Leung Kin-Chuen
Published: April 2020

Rubella and cytomegalovirus (CMV) are recognised causes of congenital diabetes. The role of in utero infection with other viruses, such as enteroviruses (EV), in the development of childhood diabetes is less clear. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between maternal EV infection and subsequent development of type 1 diabetes in their offspring, suggesting that the disease process begins in utero.
Respiratory infections in the newborn
Authors: Nissen Michael D , Sloots Theo
Published: April 2020

It is well recognised that acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) occurs commonly in children younger than 5 years of age, with pneumonia being the most serious complication. The greatest risk of death from pneumonia in childhood is in the neonatal period; it is estimated that pneumonia contributes to between 0.75-1.2 million neonatal deaths annually, accounting for approximately 10% of global child mortality. Of all neonatal deaths due to pneumonia, 96% occur in the developing world.
Goal setting and reality: maternal, perinatal and childhood malaria
Authors: Jeffery Heather
Published: April 2020

The protozoan, viral and bacterial infections of malaria, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) cause over 5.5 million deaths each year. This burden of disease is largely concentrated in the same geographical regions, related to vector distribution, their association with poverty and the vulnerability of HIV infected people to both malaria and TB.
Pathogen survival in recycled water
Authors: Sidhu Jatinder PS , Toze Simon G
Published: April 2020

Pathogen survival in recycled water Water shortages affect more than 2 billion people worldwide in over 40 countries, with 1.1 billion people living without sufficient drinking water. Captured stormwater and treated wastewater can be used for supplementing non-potable water supplies. However presence of enteric pathogens in the reclaimed water can lead to potential health hazards.
The impact of biofilms on water quality in long pipelines
Authors: Plumb Jason , Puzon Geoffrey , Ginige Maneesha
Published: April 2020

Limited water availability and increased water demand necessitates the use of long pipelines to distribute potable and non-potable water for human consumption or other purposes. The effects of microbial growth and activity on the quality of distributed water have been studied for many years, although in recent years much of this focus has shifted to understanding the effects of biofilms, rather than planktonic microorganisms, on water quality. Recently, it was estimated that 95% of all biomass in water distribution systems is in the form of pipewall biofilms, with only 5% of all biomass in the bulk water phase. Under favourable conditions, biofilms can impact water quality by increasing disinfectant demand, creating taste and odour problems, harbouring opportunistic pathogens and contributing to the potential for discoloured water events. More research is required to inform the development of guidelines for the management of biofilms in long pipelines to ensure the delivery of safe drinking water and to minimise impacts on water quality.
The safe use of recycled water
Authors: Cunliffe David
Published: April 2020

Continued population growth, droughts and limited water storage capacity are placing ever increasing pressure on Australian water supplies. One of the responses to this pressure has been increased use of recycled water. However, increased use has to be balanced against protection of public health; the greatest risk is from enteric microorganisms. The separation of human drinking water supplies from wastewater has been the largest single contributor to improved population health in the developed world through reducing infectious disease and extending life expectancy. The new Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling (AGWR) describe how recycled water schemes can be designed, operated and managed to ensure that they are safe. Reactive management based on end-point monitoring and using E. coli as a focus for assessing microbiological safety has been superseded by a preventive risk management approach.
A consensus: microbial source tracking (MST) in water
Authors: Stratton Helen , Ahmed Warish , Katouli Mohammad
Published: April 2020

Traditionally, water quality regulation and protection of public health has relied on culture-based methods that quantify faecal indicators such as the coliforms. Since Escherichia coli represents over 97% of the thermotolerant coliforms, it has been used extensively as a key indicator of faecal contamination in water testing industry. However the presence of E. coli or other coliforms (and more recently enterococci) does not provide any information regarding the source of contamination and therefore is not always an effective indicator of actual risk to humans. While human/animal faecal contamination of water can pose a serious health risk to public, the risk can be managed more efficiently and effectively if the source is known. In this respect, microbial source tracking (MST) can be used as an efficient tool by water managers to improve management of public health.
Microbial population changes during managed aquifer recharge (MAR)
Authors: Toze Simon , Reed Deborah
Published: April 2020

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a technique that can be used to capture and store water in aquifers under managed conditions for later recovery and use for specific purposes. There is a need to predict water quality changes during MAR, particularly when recycled water is used as the recharged water. An understanding of the interaction between the geochemistry of the aquifer and the microbial population dynamics in the groundwater is important for understanding any water quality changes. A study was undertaken to monitor the changes in the microbial population and link this to changes in the geochemistry. The results obtained showed that the recharge of recycled water to aquifers causes a change in microbial population structure which has direct links to corresponding changes in geochemistry.
Global changes: Bacterial populations, environmental pressures and the future of predicting antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity
Authors: Merlino John
Published: April 2020

Robert Koch quickly recognised that there was no universal environmental condition which would support the growth of all bacteria. Bacterial cells within clonal populations can show phenotypic variation due to internal stochastic processes. Variation between individual cells can be beneficial as well as detrimental to the survival of a population exposed to stress such as change in environmental conditions and many other variables such as selective antibiotic pressure. Variation in the level of proteins relevant for growth or survival among individual cells in a population is likely to play a role in drug resistance and disease. Cells reproduce by incorporating metabolite molecules and die at rates dependent on their gene expression and environmental states.