A print friendly PDF version is available from this Communicable Diseases Intelligence issue's table of contents.

With this issue we say farewell to another of the long term members of our editorial team, Margaret Curran, who has moved to another area of the Department of Health and Family Services. Margaret has been the Assistant Editor for CDI for the past 2 years and her considerable professional and organisational skills have contributed to all aspects of the journal during that time. In addition to editorial tasks, she has regularly provided analysis of surveillance data, organised and contributed to the annual surveillance reports, written articles and collated the overseas briefs. Her enthusiasm, cheerfulness and commitment to seeing the job well done will be greatly missed by all of us on the editorial team. Our best wishes go with her in her new position.

On page 192 we announce the first publication in the Communicable Diseases Intelligence Technical Report Series, an exciting addition to the role of CDI.

This month, CDI has a focus on tuberculosis with the publication of the clinical and laboratory surveillance reports for 1996 by Gilroy et al (page 173) and Dawson (page 183). Rates of tuberculosis continue to remain stable but there has been a slight change in the pattern of disease, with an increased proportion of lymphadenitis, particularly in females. It is probably too early to assess the significance of the increase in multi-drug resistance reported by Dawson. However, the trend requires close monitoring and prompts a call for the national data for 1997 to be analysed and reported as soon as possible.

Case reports serve to remind us of important public health issues. The report of a recent case of toxigenic diphtheria in New Zealand (page 188) illustrates the continuing need to ensure that infants, children and adults are immunised against this potentially deadly disease. The recent case of anthrax in Queensland (McCall et al page 189) reminds us that, although rare, sporadic cases of anthrax do occur in Australia and require appropriate laboratory and public health investigation.

Last summer's outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis associated with swimming pools, and the recent Sydney water crisis, have brought the issues of water testing and treatment into the media spotlight. Meetings of health authorities in New South Wales and Victoria are planned to consider these issues. The welcome announcement of the first Australian Conference on Cryptosporidium in Water (page 191) will be of interest to many CDI readers and is sure to be well attended.


This article was published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 22, No 9, September 1998.