Pneumococcal vaccination: an important strategy to prevent pneumonia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island adults.

The objective of the study was to examine the appropriateness of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommendations concerning pneumococcal vaccination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island adults. Laboratory surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease identified 95 cases acquired by adults 15 years of age and over in Far North Queensland from 1992 to 1995. The most common diagnosis was pneumonia (77 per cent). Sixty-one cases (64 per cent) occurred in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island adults, who acquired the disease at a younger age (mean 40 years) than did other adults (mean 50 years). Most (93 per cent) of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island adults had at least one of the pre-existing medical conditions in the NHMRC criteria for pneumococcal vaccination. The most common was 'alcohol abuse' (62 per cent). Fifty-three (93 per cent) of the pneumococcal isolates from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island adults who had pre-existing conditions were serotyped. Fifty (94 per cent) belonged to types included in the currently available pneumococcal vaccine. We conclude that the NHMRC recommendations for pneumococcal vaccination are appropriate, considering the pattern of invasive pneumococcal disease that occurs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island adults in Far North Queensland. Because pneumococcal vaccination can reduce the pneumonia-associated morbidity and premature mortality experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island adults, the vaccine should be offered routinely to those considered to be at risk, particularly young men who have recently begun to consume hazardous amounts of alcohol, and recently diagnosed diabetics.

An evaluation of four methods for the detection of Pneumocystis carinii in clinical specimens.

We undertook a prospective evaluation of 4 methods for the detection of Pneumocystis carinii in clinical specimens and compared an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) (Diagnostics Pasteur), and a fluorescent whitening agent (FWA) (Blankophor BA 267%, Bayer, Australia) with our standard methenamine silver (MeAg) and toluidine blue O (TB) stains. Two hundred and two specimens were received from 162 patients (133 HIV infected, 19 heart or heart-lung transplant recipients, and 10 "miscellaneous"). The specimens consisted of 132 induced sputa, 56 bronchoalveolar lavage specimens, 10 fine needle aspiration lung biopsies, and 4 pleural fluid specimens. P. carinii was detected in 44 (22%) of the specimens. The sensitivities for the detection of P. carinii pneumonia were IFA: 92% (95% CI, 83-100%), FWA: 57% (95% CI, 41-73%), MeAg: 54% (95% CI, 38-70%), and TB: 49% (95% CI, 33-65%). Discordant results were greatest in specimens from patients who were receiving specific anti-P. carinii prophylaxis, or who had received treatment for several days prior to sampling. IFA was the most sensitive test and relatively easy to perform. IFA was also the most expensive test. We found the FWA method a useful screening test as it is cheap and quick to perform. However, it is less sensitive than IFA, which should be performed on the negative specimens. With the increasing use of specific anti-P. carinii prophylaxis in HIV-infected patients, methods more specific and sensitive than MeAg and TB stains are required. We have found IFA to improve significantly the rate of detection of P. carinii in this patient group.

Infective endocarditis due to nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae: report of seven cases and review.

We report seven cases of endocarditis due to nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae that occurred between October 1990 and September 1991. The patients all lived in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Three patients had preexisting cardiac abnormalities, and one patient used intravenous drugs regularly. The other three patients had no known risk factors for endocarditis. Notable clinical features were the aggressive nature of the infection, the occurrence of septic arthritis in four patients, and major vascular complications in four patients, one of whom died. One patient required urgent mitral valve replacement. All of the isolates were identified as non-toxigenic C. diphtheriae var gravis. Sporadic cases of endocarditis due to C. diphtheriae have rarely been reported; septic arthritis complicating endocarditis due to this organism has not previously been described. This report highlights the importance of identifying Corynebacterium isolates from normally sterile sites at the species level.