Publications

seroprevalence of varicella zoster virus, parvovirus b19 and toxoplasma gondii in a melbourne obstetric population: implications for management.	at an antenatal clinic at a melbourne obstetric hospital, 308 women were questioned about a known past history of infection with varicella zoster virus (vzv), human parvovirus b19 and toxoplasma gondii. immunoglobulin g (igg) concentrations were determined for the 3 infectious agents and a recalled history of infection was compared with the presence of specific antibody. exactly 66% of women recalled being infected with chickenpox (vzv) and 94% showed serological evidence of past exposure. altho ...	2001	11284642
a random cluster survey and a convenience sample give comparable estimates of immunity to vaccine preventable diseases in children of school age in victoria, australia.	we compared estimates of the age-specific population immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis b and varicella zoster viruses in victorian school children obtained by a national sero-survey, using a convenience sample of residual sera from diagnostic laboratories throughout australia, with those from a three-stage random cluster survey. when grouped according to school age (primary or secondary school) there was no significant difference in the estimates of immunity to measles, mumps, hepat ...	2002	12163264
the burden and cost of hospitalised varicella and zoster in australian children.	economic analyses of varicella-zoster virus (vzv) immunisation are sensitive to the costs of hospitalised cases, so there is a need to validate vzv hospitalisation data.	2004	15542199
varicella infection--evidence for peak activity in summer months.	this study aimed to identify seasonal variations in the presentation of primary varicella infection in susceptible patients in victoria (a temperate region in south-east australia) by analysing victorian hospital admissions data and medical locum service data from the years preceding the introduction of a universally offered vaccination, complemented by available surveillance data from the neighbouring state, of south australia. contrary to the conventional assumption, which is based on observat ...	2008	18359087
prevalence of varicella-zoster virus genotypes in australia characterized by high-resolution melt analysis and orf22 gene analyses.	dna sequence variation analysis has divided varicella-zoster virus (vzv; human herpesvirus 3) into distinct geographical clades: european, asian, african and japanese. these genotypes are becoming increasingly prevalent within regions atypical to their original source and there has been the suggestion of recombination between genotypes. seventy-eight clinical isolates from hospitalized patients with varicella were collected in new south wales, the northern territory, western australia and victor ...	2010	20466839