Thursday, 2 May 2019

Southern Metropolitan Region

In reply to Ms CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (7 March 2019)

Ms MIKAKOS (Northern Metropolitan—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services):

I am advised that the Department of Health and Human Services (the department) receives notifications on all cases of Buruli ulcer in Victoria. All notifications are reviewed weekly to monitor current trends, both in terms of case numbers and geographical distribution.

The department has previously provided funding of approximately $800,000 (from 1997 to 2010). This has advanced our understanding of disease transmission and has resulted in the development of a rapid diagnostic test. Other recent activities have included:

• The Beat the Bite Campaign, a prevention activity to reduce a range of infections from potential mosquito sources;

• Development of a Royal Australasian College of General Practitioners learning module on Buruli ulcer;

• Utilising new laboratory techniques such as Whole Genome Sequencing to analyse samples from identified cases to better understand the spread of infections to new endemic areas; and

• Sampling of possum excrement to provide insights into the environmental presence of Mycobacterium ulcerans (the bacterium causing Buruli ulcer) in particular areas of risk in Victoria.

A $3 million National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership Grant has been awarded to the University of Melbourne and research partners including the department, the Doherty Institute, Austin Health, Barwon Health, CSIRO, the Mornington Peninsula Shire, and Agriculture Victoria. The department has provided more than $830,502 of cash and in-kind support for this research.

The Beating Buruli in Victoria partnership project comprises a number of sub studies. There are two main sub studies.

• The first is a case control study that is looking at risk factors for developing the disease. Cases and controls are currently being recruited to take part in the study.

• The second is a large cluster randomised control study that will look at the impact of mosquito control interventions on the number of cases of Buruli ulcer. Currently, mosquito surveillance is underway to inform this sub study.

• The department is leading the Mosquito Control Study and has contributed an additional $300,000 to support enhanced mosquito surveillance as part of this work.

In addition to the ongoing research the department is working closely with laboratories and clinicians to strengthen testing, reporting and management options for Buruli ulcer in Victoria.