Possum poo holds the key to detecting future outbreaks of Buruli ulcer, which has become a public health problem in Victoria.
Professor Tim Stinear, director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Mycobacterium ulcerans at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, has made significant progress in understanding how the disease is transmitted and what can be done to prevent infections from the flesh-eating bacteria.
Comparing data from possum "poo" analysis to epidemiological data over time, researchers identified a significant spatial correlation between clusters of M ulcerans positive possum excreta and clusters of human Buruli ulcer cases. "Our data showed that outbreaks of Buruli ulcer coincided with a high number of possums carrying the bacteria," Professor Stinear said.
"While it is something we've been suspecting for a while, this finding categorically confirms the important role of Australian native possums in the transmission of the bacterium to humans," Following this significant finding and using the possum "poo" data, the team developed the first-ever computer modelling program capable of predicting locations and times of increased Buruli ulcer transmission risk in Victoria.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘No secret’ why Victoria’s debt now soaring towards $200 billionSky News host Peta Credlin says it’s “no secret” why Victoria's debt is now soaring towards $200 billion. “This is a government that can't help bloating the public service and is incapable of delivering infrastructure on time and on budget,” she said. “That's why staff will need to be cut and projects delayed.”
Read more »
Why Victoria’s brutal budget hit should worry big businessThat Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas has used the same playbook two out of the last three years should concern business leaders. ausbiz auspol
Read more »
Victoria slugs business, property investors $8.6bAn $8.6 billion COVID Debt Levy on big business with payrolls above $10 million a year, landowners and property investors forms the centrepiece of Victoria’s budget to “pay off our COVID credit card”, Treasurer Tim Pallas revealed. auspol
Read more »
Axe falls on Victorian native forest loggingThe state government will end native forest logging early in Victoria, bringing forward its 2030 deadline.
Read more »
‘Difficult pill to swallow’: ‘Big hit’ towards Victorian businesses following state budgetVictoria Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Paul Guerra says there’s “quite a big hit” across the board in Victoria following the state government handing down its budget on Tuesday. “It’s a bit tough if you’re a medium business, a large business, or a landowner at the moment – you're going to pay more come July 1, and that’s going to be a really difficult pill to swallow for a lot of businesses across the state,” he told Sky News Australia. Mr Guerra said businesses for the next ten years are going to “take a hit” repaying the COVID debt levy, which will result in some choosing not to continue working in Victoria and job losses. “The debt did need to be reduced – sticking it just to business though is not the right approach here,” he said.
Read more »
Regional distillery wins big with agave at prestigious San Francisco World Spirits competitionHidden near the banks of the Murray River in northern Victoria is a small distillery batting way above its average on the global scale.
Read more »