Applied Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

Abstract

This thesis details projects undertaken during my 22-month field placement in Australia and Cambodia. From February to December 2019, I undertook my MAE field placement at the Queensland Health Communicable Diseases Branch, which is responsible for the surveillance, prevention, and control of communicable diseases in Queensland. From January until late March 2020 I was based in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia, and undertook field placement with the Institut Pasteur Cambodia (IPC). IPC is a not-for-profit French foundation and manages one of only two laboratories in Cambodia. During this time, I was also seconded to support the Cambodian Ministry of Health COVID-19 response. On return to Australia in late March 2020, I was placed at the Doherty Institute in Melbourne and from July onwards was subsequently seconded on a part-time basis to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) COVID-19 Public Health Intelligence team. My projects comprised: a multi-jurisdictional outbreak investigation of Salmonella Heidelberg, 2018-2019; investigating trends in the epidemiology of inter-seasonal influenza in Queensland, 2009-2019; exploring the feasibility of a surveillance mechanism for rapid viral suppression among those newly diagnosed with HIV in Queensland; and analysis of a malaria re-infection in a child cohort in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, 2013. This thesis also describes other experiences and public health activities undertaken during my placements: involvement in trachoma screening and a sero-prevalence research project in Doomadgee, Northern Queensland; involvement in measles outbreak support activities in South Brisbane; data analysis support for a human leptospirosis case-control study in the Yangon Region, Myanmar; field epidemiological support to the Cambodian Ministry of Health in response to COVID-19; and involvement in COVID-19 outbreaks at the Victorian DHHS. These projects and experiences fulfil the core requirements of the Australian National University Master of Philosophy (Applied Epidemiology) program.tional University Master of Philosophy (Applied Epidemiology) program.