Tag Archives: vaccination

Gardasil 9 now on the National Immunisation Program

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AJP, 9th Oct 2017

The Government has announced free access for young people to the improved HPV vaccine.

From 2018, Gardasil 9, which protects against nine HPV strains (up from four) will be offered through school-based immunisation programs to all 12 to 13-year-old boys, and girls in years seven or eight.

In[ter]view: SHINE SA’s Dr Amy Moten

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Verse magazine, Edition 18, September 2017

This edition we talked to Amy, SHINE SA’s Medical Educator, who is answering all your questions when it comes to the ‘what’s this’ and ‘how do I check that’ of sex.

  1. How often should people who are sexually active get tested?

You should have a test when symptoms of a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) are first noticed or if a sexual partner is diagnosed with an STI or has symptoms of an STI. Even if you have no symptoms STI screening is recommended for any new sexual contact. Annual screening for people under 30 is recommended, but you can have a test every 3 months if you think you may be at higher risk.

 

New Hepatitis A factsheet from SA health

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Department for Health and Ageing, Government of South Australia, September 2017

An increase in the number of notifications of hepatitis A has been reported in New South Wales amongst men who have sex with men (MSM). It is suspected that these infections are associated with a recent outbreak overseas amongst MSM in Europe and the Americas.

Key prevention messages:

  • Vaccination is the most effective form of prevention against hepatitis A infection. To receive the vaccine, contact your health care provider to arrange an appointment.
  • Follow good personal hygiene practices, especially thorough hand washing and safe sexual practices.
  • People with hepatitis A are excluded from work for 7 days after the onset of jaundice (if present) or 2 weeks from the onset of illness.

Download factsheet (PDF):  FactSheet – Hepatitis A MSM

Vaccine for Meningitis Shows Some Protection Against Gonorrhea

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New Zealand Family Planning

Some strains of the bacterium that cause gonorrhoea are now resistant to all available antibiotics. With no new drugs on the near horizon, the disease is in desperate need of a vaccine.

Our research, published in the Lancet medical journal this week, shows that protection against gonorrhoea could come from an unexpected source – a vaccine against meningococcal group B disease.

 

 

 

MSM, especially if HIV-positive, have an increased risk of meningococcal disease

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nam/aidsmap, June 6th, 2017

Men who have sex with men (MSM) have an increased risk of meningococcal disease, investigators from the United States report in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases. The number of cases was small, but overall incidence of meningococcal disease was four times higher among MSM compared to non-MSM, with the risk especially high for HIV-positive MSM.

 

Healthy Communities: HPV immunisation rates in 2014–15

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Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2017

Immunisation against the highly contagious human papillomavirus (HPV) can prevent cervical and other cancers, and other HPV-related diseases. The National HPV Vaccination Program has been immunising adolescent girls since 2007 and was extended to boys in 2013.

This third Healthy Communities report on HPV immunisation shows the percentage of girls aged 15 across 31 Primary Health Network (PHN) areas who were fully immunised against HPV in 2014–15. For the first time, the percentage of boys fully immunised are also shown by PHN area.

The report finds that in 2014–15:

  • Nationally, nearly 79% of girls aged 15 were fully immunised against HPV, an increase from 74% in 2013–14 and 72% in 2012–13
  • There remains relatively large variation in HPV immunisation rates for girls across PHN areas, ranging from 86% of girls fully immunised in Murrumbidgee (NSW) to 67% in Tasmania
  • Nationally, 67% of boys aged 15 were fully immunised against HPV and across PHN areas percentages ranged from 78% in Gippsland (Vic) to 57% in the Northern Territory.

Download Healthy Communities: HPV immunisation rates in 2014–15 (PDF, 3.5 MB)