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B J Currie

Publications and source records attributed to B J Currie.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Characterisation of group A streptococcal isolates from tropical Australia with high prevalence of rheumatic fever: probing for signature sequences to identify members of the family of serotype 5.

The prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Northern Territory Aboriginal communities is high, but there is a low isolation rate of historically rheumatic fever associated M types (such as M5) of group A streptococci (GAS). Many isolates are M non-typable (MNT). Serology suggests that the population is exposed to M5-like isolates; some RHD patients having high IgM or IgG titres to two M5 B-repeat region peptide epitopes, B1 (KQQESK) and B4 (EQKSKQ). To identify relatives of M5 in our collection of GAS, oligonucleotide probes to the B1 and B4-repeat regions shared by M5 and a local M5-like isolate, were used to screen 101 isolates for the presence of signature sequences. In all, 28% of the tropical Australian isolates contained the signature sequences, identifying members of the M5 family. The 5' region of the genes for M proteins from three members of the M5 family fell into two sequence types. Hybridisation to probes based on these sequences suggested that among tropical Australian isolates there are at least three distinct sequence types that contained the M5 signature sequences. These results suggest that a considerable number of M5 family GAS are circulating in tropical Australia.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Patterns of petrol sniffing and other drug use in young men from an Australian Aboriginal community in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory.

Petrol sniffing and use of other drugs were examined among 48 males aged 13-32 years resident in a remote Aboriginal community in Arnhem Land. The study group consisted of 13 non-sniffers, 13 ex-sniffers and 22 current sniffers. Unemployment was highest among those with a history of petrol sniffing. Employment and family influence emerged as major reported reasons for individuals stopping petrol sniffing. The findings of the study suggest that strategies to reduce petrol sniffing should not only focus on education, employment, skills training and recreation, but should further encourage Aboriginal communities to utilize family relationships to dissuade young people from the practice. Unlike ex-sniffers and current sniffers, non-sniffers tended to be abstainers from tobacco, kava and alcohol. Of the selected study group, 52% smoked >or=25 cigarettes per day. On the basis of the research findings, the local community Council has implemented employment, skills training and recreation strategies to reduce petrol sniffing in this age group. A reduction in tobacco consumption in both adults and young people has also been targeted through health education programmes developed by the community health clinic and the school.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

Should aboriginals in the "top end" of the Northern Territory be vaccinated against hepatitis A?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of immunity to hepatitis A virus infection in rural Australian Aboriginal populations in the "Top End" of the Northern Territory. METHODS: A total of 344 sera, for which details of donors' age, sex and domicile were available, were collected and tested for hepatitis A total antibody in a delinked seroprevalence study. RESULTS: Overall, 337/344 samples (97.97%) tested positive for hepatitis A total antibodies--18/20 samples (90%) in the 1-5 year age group; 85/88 (96.6%) in the 6-10 year age group; 98/98 (100%) in the 11-15 year age group; 32/33 (97.0%) in the 16-20 year age group and 104/105 (99%) in the older than 20 year age group. CONCLUSION: Hepatitis A is hyperendemic in the rural Aboriginal communities studied and the virus is acquired predominantly in the first five years of life. Symptomatic hepatitis A infection is uncommon in this population. We suggest that hepatitis A vaccination for rural Aboriginal children is not indicated as it would not reduce clinical disease rates and may produce a cohort whose immunity could decrease over the following 10 years. Although vaccination is appropriate for non-immune individuals working in remote communities, emphasis must be placed on the inequities in health infrastructure and education underlying the high transmission rates in Aboriginal children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Elevated serum creatine kinase (CK-MM) in petrol sniffers using leaded or unleaded fuel.

This study examined blood lead and creatine kinase levels in a group of 24 Australian Aboriginal males admitted to the hospital for treatment of severe petrol sniffing related illness after using only leaded petrol and 27 sniffers, 16 ex-sniffers and 13 non-sniffers from an isolated Aboriginal community using only unleaded petrol. Creatine kinase levels (which were nearly all creatine kinase-skeletal muscle isoenzyme indicating skeletal muscle damage) were correlated with blood lead levels and were elevated in active sniffers of leaded petrol on admission to hospital but were also increased in those sniffing unleaded petrol in the remote community. After fourteen days in hospital, median creatine kinase levels of leaded petrol sniffers dropped rapidly to levels similar to those of ex-sniffers and non-sniffers while median blood lead levels decreased but still remained higher than the other three groups. The data suggest that elevated creatine kinase associated with petrol sniffing may be due to compounds in petrol other than the lead additives, possibly volatile hydrocarbon components. Elevated creatine kinase may be useful in detecting current petrol sniffing activity, particularly in locations using unleaded petrol.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Systemic lupus erythematosus in Australian aborigines: high prevalence, morbidity and mortality.

BACKGROUND: Racial differences occur in the incidence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It has been suggested that SLE occurs at a higher prevalence and with greater severity in Aboriginal Australians, but because of the small, widely distributed population base, this has not been well documented. AIMS: To confirm and document the clinical impression of an increased prevalence and severity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Aboriginal Australians, and to identify prognostic indicators. METHODS: Top End Northern Territory (NT) Aborigines with SLE on 1 January 1984 or diagnosed thereafter were followed until 1 January 1991. Epidemiological, clinical and serological data were collected. RESULTS: Prevalence on 1 January 1991 estimated at 1:1900, at least twice the estimated prevalence in non-Aboriginal Australians. High frequencies of renal disease (62% with proteinuria > 0.5 g/day) and autoantibodies to the Sm antigen (29%) were identified, contributing to the high mortality. Five year survival rate was 60%, with 67% of deaths resulting from infection. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of SLE in NT Aborigines. In view of probable under-recognition of mild cases the true prevalence is likely to be even higher. Although morbidity and mortality may have been overestimated for the same reason, both were found to be high. Improved living conditions and health care delivery may improve prognosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Community-acquired Acinetobacter pneumonia in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Eleven cases of blood culture-positive, community-acquired pneumonia due to the human commensal Acinetobacter baumannii were studied in Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia during the 10-year period from March 1981 through February 1991. Demographic risk factors included male gender, age of greater than 45 years, and Aboriginal ethnic background. Multiple clinical risk factors, including cigarette smoking, alcoholism, chronic obstructive airway disease, and diabetes mellitus, were noted in all cases and contributed to the high mortality (64%). In all cases pneumonia was clinically fulminant. A fatal outcome was strongly associated with inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy. All tested isolates of Acinetobacter were sensitive to gentamicin and resistant to cefotaxime. The 34 previously reported cases of community-acquired acinetobacter pneumonia are reviewed, and appropriate therapeutic regimens are identified.

Acinetobacter↗
PubMed1992

Neurological melioidosis: seven cases from the Northern Territory of Australia.

Pseudomonas pseudomallei, which causes melioidosis, is most commonly associated with pulmonary infection. We describe seven patients who developed a neurological syndrome as the predominant manifestation of melioidosis: this syndrome was characterized by peripheral motor weakness (mimicking Guillain-Barré syndrome), brain-stem encephalitis, aseptic meningitis, and respiratory failure. Neurological melioidosis occurred in the absence of demonstrable foci of infection in the central nervous system (CNS) in five of six patients whose cerebrospinal fluid was available for culture. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spinal cord of these patients were not suggestive of pyogenic infection, although the latter procedure detected brain-stem encephalitis. Autopsy findings in one case confirmed brain-stem encephalitis without evidence of direct bacterial infection. The clinical presentation of neurological melioidosis includes features of an exotoxin-induced neurological syndrome, with profound neurological disease occurring in the absence of apparent direct infection of the CNS. This syndrome appears to be a newly recognized clinical presentation of melioidosis.

Adult↗