Approximately 6 months ago, as COVID-19 became the focus of our day-to-day life, it was constantly referred to as unprecedented. In fact, this word has been used to describe almost everything that has subsequently occurred. Unprecedented of course means ‘without previous instance, never before known or experienced’. At the same time the general thrust of many headlines in the media was to cast SARS-CoV-2

I hope that this Vertical Transmission finds you and your families, friends and colleagues safe and well. Across Australia, we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly through the restrictions that have been imposed to prevent transmission of the virus. Thankfully these measures have been highly effective and we have not seen the high case numbers and deaths that we see reported daily in

COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first recognised in late 2019, with over 30 000 000 cases and over 1 000 000 deaths reported by the end of September 2020. SARS-CoV-2 infection is usually associated with fever, cough, coryza, dyspnoea, anosmia, headache and fatigue and may cause pneumonia and hypoxemia. An excessive/dysregulated inflammatory response

Bubonic plague is among the most feared diseases in human history, not only because of its death toll but also for its consequential impact on the way of life and economic endeavour of human society. Every few hundred years the advance of a pandemic has raised impotent fear, until the early 20th century when microbiological research solved the mystery of how it is transmitted to its victims, opening

The history of immunisation is full of heroes but also full of villains, and our successes are tempered by tragedies. Despite the urgent need for a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, we should not neglect the lessons of history. These include ethical issues relating to vaccine safety, such as the possible risks of vaccine-induced enhancement witnessed with dengue vaccine in the Philippines, and how our decisions

Epidemics of paralytic poliomyelitis (polio) first emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States and the Scandinavian countries. They continued through the first half of the 20th century becoming global. A major epidemic occurred in Australia in 1951 but significant outbreaks were reported from the late 1930s to 1954. The poliovirus is an enterovirus that is usually transmitted

This article outlines the generally well known story of the attempt by Louis Pasteur to win the significant reward offered by the colonial governments of what would become Australia for biological control of the rabbit plague then infesting the continent. While the Pasteur bid, led by his nephew Adrien Loir, was not awarded the prize, there were significant flow-on benefits for agriculture in the colonies

The sexually transmitted infection (STI) gonorrhoea is an ancient human disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Despite decades of research focused on preventing, diagnosing, and treating gonorrhoea, it remains a major global health concern due to its high prevalence, high rates of asymptomatic cases, the severe sequelae that can result from untreated infections

The CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) was officially opened on 1 April 1985. After that day the laboratory switched to secure mode and has operated as such ever since. AAHL was constructed to be the primary national diagnostic facility for exotic animal diseases but has expanded its role to become a national and international reference laboratory for many diseases. AAHL has supported

Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important public health challenge globally and in Australia. For the more than 10 million people who become sick with TB each year, the disease can cause immense personal and economic hardship, including loss of income and education through ill health, prolonged and arduous treatment, and stigmatisation – perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage. Past efforts to control TB

In the midst of our pandemic, when we are up to our necks in a torrent of news, opinion and speculation, it is important to step back from our personal interests in SARS-CoV-2 to consider the broader biological and social evolutionary context of what we are experiencing.

Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) was introduced to Australia in the mid-1800s and its story reflects the attitudes of the 19th and 20th centuries, with treatment including segregation, paternalism, and racism. The approaches taken within the Australian states were similar and based on isolating people affected by leprosy, as both a measure to assist the patient but, more importantly, to protect the European

From its modest beginning in 1916 with a staff of 20, CSL has grown into a major company, which now employs more than 25,000 people, operates in more than 70 countries and has a market capitalization of over A$130 billion.

Quarantine has been widely used for infection control in Australia since the time of settlement by Europeans. The history of human quarantine stations in Australia is discussed briefly here.

Towards the end of world war one, the world faced a pandemic, caused not by smallpox or bubonic plague, but by an influenza A virus. The 1918–19 influenza pandemic was possibly the worst single natural disaster of all time, infecting an estimated 500 million people, or one third of the world population and killing between 20 and 100 million people in just over one year. The impact of the virus may

In 2011, the International Health Regulations Review Committee of the WHO suggested ‘The world is ill-prepared to respond to a severe influenza pandemic or to any similarly global, sustained and threatening public-health emergency’. This was presumably partly in response to known threats that had occurred over the previous decade – Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003,H1N1 pandemic influenza

I hope that this Vertical Transmission finds you and your families safe and well. At the time of writing, some of you are in parts of Australia with few or no COVID-19 infections, while those of you in Victoria are in Stage 4 lockdown and dealing with the confusion, anxiety and uncertainty of this pandemic. What is clear is that the work of our dedicated epidemiologists, microbiologists, medical scientists

Imported biological products are ubiquitous necessities of modern life that can pose significant biosecurity risks to Australia. Products produced using animal material are used everywhere from enzymes in cleaning products, to cell lines and bacterial cultures used to produce vaccines and medicines. This article highlights adventitious agents of biologicals and provides an overview of the considerations

The rapid testing for Security Sensitive Biological Agents is carried out by Public Health laboratories. The commercial platforms for performing such tasks in Australia are described.

Biosecurity is a term broadly applied to the protection, control and accountability of biological agents and toxins to minimise the risk of their introduction through natural, unintentional (accidents) or deliberate processes. Biosecurity protection involves the engagement of all stakeholders including government, public health networks, industry, and scientific community. While the Commonwealth Government

As Australia’s national law enforcement agency the Australia Federal Police (AFP) plays a number of roles, broadly grouped under intelligence and investigation, in supporting a whole of government approach to responding to, and mitigating, risks from Security Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBA). The AFP is responsible for coordinating the investigation of national and transnational crimes, which includes

The novel betacoronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused a global pandemic unprecedented in modern times. Understanding the key features that have enabled this virus to propagate so widely in the global community is critical to current and future clinical and public health efforts. High proportions of mild disease and peak viral loads at, and likely prior

Bioterrorism is the deliberate misuse of a pathogen (virus, bacterium or other disease-causing microorganisms) or biotoxin (poisonous substance produced by an organism) to cause illness and death amongst the population. Bioterrorism and biological warfare (biowarfare) are terms often used interchangeably. However, bioterrorism is typically attributed to the politically motivated use of biological weapons

Exotic and emerging infectious diseases are emerging more frequently, and impacting more profoundly, all of humanity. Disasters risk reduction efforts over the preceding decades, culminating in the Hyogo and Sendai frameworks, have provided a roadmap for all countries to address emerging disaster related risks. Sudden onset or surprise epidemics of exotic or emerging diseases have the potential to

The aim of Australia’s Security Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBAs) Regulatory Scheme is to limit opportunities for acts of bioterrorism or criminal acts using harmful biological agents. The scheme is based on a two-tiered list of agents, of which many can cause disease in animals and thereby have the potential to significantly impact Australian agricultural industries and the economy. Laboratories

The Royal College of Pathologists (RCPA) and then RCPA Quality Assurance Programs Pty Ltd (RCPAQAP), a company independent from but aligned with the RCPA, have been producing proficiency testing programs (PTP) for infectious diseases for 52 years. This involves sending infectious disease material in surveys to over 80 countries worldwide throughout any year. The PTP panels are developed depending on

I will begin this Vertical Transmission by hoping that you and your families are all healthy and well, and coping during this very confused and frightening time. Microbiology and public health are certainly at the forefront of community and government attention at this time, and rapid solutions are being sought to deal with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Unfortunately, funding for discovery research that

This issue of Microbiology Australia is on the topic of probiotics. The word ‘probiotic’ meaning ‘for life’ is derived from Latin ‘pro’ and Greek ‘bios’. According to the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, probiotics are defined as ‘live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host’1, while a very

The SARS-Cov2 has presented the world with a novel pandemic challenge requiring a rapid response. This article provides a May 2020 snapshot from Professor Paul Young, who is part of a group working with urgency on Australia’s leading COVID-19 candidate vaccine.

There is growing interest in the use of probiotics in neonates. In particular, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium breve and B. longum have been well studied. Caesarean-section (CS)-born infants often lack Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp., which showed increasing evidence in establishing the neonatal immune system. Furthermore, CS increases the difficulties for mothers

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is the transfer of human faeces from a healthy donor to a recipient with a disease associated with gut dysbiosis. Here we review faecal microbiota transplantation as a treatment for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and other conditions including decolonisation of multiresistant organisms. Donor selection and screening, adverse events, processing, administration

The gut microbiome is made up of hundreds of trillions of microorganisms that reside in a state of homeostatic balance within the healthy individual. Next generation sequencing has provided insight into the diversity of these microorganisms that reside within our gastrointestinal tract; despite developments in metabolomics and culturing techniques, the functions of many of these bacteria remain largely

The concept of probiotics is well known and has developed into a high value commodity in recent times. Despite the ever-expanding number of probiotic products on our pharmacy, health food and supermarket shelves, the probiotic culture active ingredient has always been imported until now. In 2019, Probiotics Australia Pty Ltd opened Australia’s first and only Therapeutic Goods Administration/current

Coral reefs are found in warm, oligotrophic, euphotic marine waters and occupy <0.1% of the sea floor, yet support ~25% of earth’s marine species. They provide critical ecosystem services to human populations including coastal protection, food (e.g. fish) and personal income by way of fishing and tourism. However, recent pan-tropical coral ‘bleaching’ (the paling of corals due to the separation of

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a Gram-positive bacterium. When pathogenic S. aureus colonises onto a skin wound or diabetic ulcer, it can cause a serious infection and lead to amputation or death. The current solutions (e.g. antibiotics and probiotics) are not sufficient enough to be a cure for this infection. To worsen the situation, the S. aureus bacteria continue to develop greater resistance

Probiotics are genetically identifiable, live microorganisms that when administered in adequate amounts, confer appropriately sized health benefit (e.g. correcting dysbiosis, immunomodulatory effect) on a target host. In cattle, probiotics have shown promising results and long-term benefits in productivity when used on animals under stress. The health and production benefits of probiotics were attributed

Piglet mortality is a major issue for the pork industry globally and until recently, the main method for improving growth performance and reducing disease in commercial practice is centred on anti-microbial use. Antibiotic resistance is a global concern and, as such, animal production industries are seeking alternatives to antibiotics. Different approaches under investigation include but are not limited

As agriculture and food security face unprecedented challenges, emerging agricultural innovations and existing practices require ongoing examination in the context of sustainability. In this review, we focus on the use of probiotic microorganisms for improved plant production. As plants are enormously diverse, emphasis is placed on the fundamental sites of plant-microbe interactions regarding benefits

Probiotic products are viewed as an alternative to the use of antibiotics in freshwater fishes farming. Probiotic organisms include bacteria, yeast, and filamentous fungi offering different benefits to fish including growth promotion, inhibition of pathogen colonisation, and improvement of nutrient digestion, water quality, and stress tolerance, as well as enhancement of reproduction. For these reasons

Foods containing edible probiotic bacteria, most commonly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, form a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide. Currently marketed foods containing probiotics are mostly dairy based with yoghurts and fermented milks dominating the industry. Alternative foods as carriers of probiotics are being examined to reduce or eliminate lactose intolerance issues. Food categories

As we begin 2020, Microbiology is dominating the news with the emergence and rapid dissemination of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The impact of COVID-19 on public health, with significant financial, logistical and social repercussions, has quickly become apparent. As microbiologists we have an important role to play during this time because we can use our knowledge, expertise and experience to educate

The selection of papers included in this issue of Microbiology Australia present a broad brush of zoonotic diseases, from those known or described in ancient times such as rabies, first described in the Eshnunna cuneiform law tablets from ancient Mesopotamia dating back to the 18th–19th centuries BC, and glanders, thought to be first described in donkeys by Aristotle in Ancient Greece in 420–450 BC

Leila Valerie James was born at Rupanyup in western Victoria in 1927. She attended local schools and continued her education despite significant family hardship. After matriculating from Ballarat High School she achieved her dream of going to The University of Melbourne and in 1944 commenced her BSc while living in nearby Brunswick. At Easter she fell ill with pleurisy. After a local GP drained 3 pints

At the end of December, 2019, a new disease of unknown aetiology appeared in Wuhan, China. It was quickly identified as a novel betacoronavirus, and related to SARS-CoV and a number of other bat-borne SARS-like coronaviruses. The virus rapidly spread to all provinces in China, as well as a number of countries overseas, and was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the Director-General

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne viral disease, principally of ruminants, that is endemic to Africa. The causative Phlebovirus, Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), has a broad host range and, as such, also infects humans to cause primarily a self-limiting febrile illness. A small number of human cases will also develop severe complications, including haemorrhagic fever, encephalitis and visual

Seafood is an increasingly popular source of healthy protein. Since 1961, the average annual increase in global food fish consumption has been twice as high as population growth and exceeds the consumption of meat from all terrestrial animals combined1. The following overview of seafood safety concerns is intended to help readers to understand potential risks associated with parasites in seafood products

Glanders, although known to be endemic in certain regions/countries of the Old and New Worlds for centuries, had been largely overlooked as a threat to equine and human health until the disease re-emerged in the Middle East in 2004. The exponential growth in international horse movements, both legal and illegal, mainly for performance purposes, has enhanced the risk of global spread of glanders in

It is unacceptable that as we advance into the 21st century rabies is still a threat to humans and animals alike. Given public health interventions that focus solely on disease prevention in humans have no effect on the reduction of infection in the reservoir hosts, the most effective way to combat human rabies infection is to control the disease transmission by mass vaccination of the animal source