Communicable Disease Applied Epidemiology in Queensland

Abstract

The Communicable Diseases Branch (CDB) of Queensland Health has the role of protecting the health of Queenslanders through the monitoring, surveillance, and control of communicable diseases. From February 2016 to December 2017, I undertook a field placement within the CDB. This thesis details projects undertaken during this 22-month field placement. The projects comprise an investigation of a Q fever outbreak at an animal refuge clinic and veterinary clinic, the establishment of a surveillance system to identify newly acquired hepatitis C infections in Queensland, an analysis of vaccine breakthrough invasive pneumococcal disease in Queensland in children younger than 5 years of age, and an analysis of the risk of recurrent invasive pneumococcal disease in Queensland. Also described in this thesis are other public health experiences gained during my placement, including my role in teaching, an assessment of the need to include rheumatic heart disease as a notifiable condition in Queensland, a WHO Western Pacific Regional Office consultancy, and a lookback investigation of a dental clinic. Together, these projects and experiences fulfil the core requirements of the Master of Philosophy (Applied Epidemiology) program at Australian National University.