In October 2013, a locally-acquired case of dengue virus (DENV) infection was reported in Western Australia (WA) where local dengue transmission has not occurred for over 70 years. Laboratory testing confirmed recent DENV infection and the case demonstrated a clinically compatible illness. The infection was most likely acquired in the Pilbara region in the northwest of WA. Follow up investigations did not detect any other locally-acquired dengue cases or any known dengue vector species in the local region, despite intensive adult and larval mosquito surveillance, both immediately after the case was notified in October 2013 and after the start of the wet season in January 2014. The mechanism of infection with DENV in this case cannot be confirmed. However, it most likely followed a bite from a single infected mosquito vector that was transiently introduced into the Pilbara region but failed to establish a local breeding population. This case highlights the public health importance of maintaining surveillance efforts to ensure that any incursions of dengue vectors into WA are promptly identified and do not become established, particularly given the large numbers of viraemic dengue fever cases imported into WA by travellers returning from dengue-endemic regions.
A pilot study of cervical cytology was carried out on 500 new patients at the women's sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic at this hospital. The aim was to discover the incidence of abnormal smears in order to gauge the worth of cervical cytology as a routine clinic procedure. Information was also gathered on each patient's age, sexual history, method of contraception used, previous smears, and genital infection. Smears showing carcinoma in situ, dysplasia, or warty atypia were regarded as abnormal, and the relevant patients were referred for colposcopy. Seventy-three (14.6%) had abnormal smears. Eight women (1.6%), average age 29.7 years, had cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade III (CIN III) confirmed by histology. One third of the patients with abnormal smears had genital warts, and the incidence of abnormal smears was greater in patients with genital warts than in those without warts. We concluded that STD clinics are useful places in which to carry out cervical cytology screening, and we noted a positive association between infection with genital warts and abnormal smears.
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