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Objectives: To estimate notification rates for infectious syphilis in women of reproductive age and congenital syphilis in Australia. Study design: Retrospective cohort study; analysis of national infectious syphilis and enhanced congenital syphilis surveillance data. Setting, participants: Women aged 15–44 years diagnosed with infectious syphilis, and babies with congenital syphilis, Australia, 2011–2021. Main outcome measures: Numbers and rates of infectious syphilis notifications, by Indigenous status and age group; numbers and rates of congenital syphilis, by Indigenous status of the infant; antenatal care history for mothers of infants born with congenital syphilis. Results: During 2011–2021, 5011 cases of infectious syphilis in women aged 15–44 years were notified. The notification rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women rose from 56 (95% confidence interval [CI], 45–65) cases per 100 000 in 2011 to 227 (95% CI, 206–248) cases per 100 000 population in 2021; for non‐Indigenous women, it rose from 1.1 (95% CI, 0.8–1.4) to 9.2 (95% CI, 8.4–10.1) cases per 100 000 population. The notification rate was higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women than for non‐Indigenous women (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 23.1; 95% CI, 19.7–27.1), lower for 15–24‐ (IRR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.6–0.9) and 35–44‐year‐old women (IRR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.5–0.7) than for 25–34‐year‐old women, and higher in remote regions than in major cities (IRR, 2.7; 95% CI, 2.2–3.8). During 2011–2021, 74 cases of congenital syphilis were notified, the annual number increasing from six in 2011 to a peak of 17 in 2020; the rate was consistently higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants than among non‐Indigenous infants (2021: 38.3 v 2.1 per 100 000 live births). The mothers of 32 infants with congenital syphilis (43%) had not received antenatal care. Conclusions: The number of infectious syphilis notifications for women of reproductive age increased in Australia during 2011–2021, as did the number of cases of congenital syphilis. To avert congenital syphilis, antenatal screening of pregnant women, followed by prompt treatment for infectious syphilis when diagnosed, needs to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When readers of contemporary adolescent literature are encouraged to participate in conversations about what is considered canonical literature, the literary value of adolescent reading expands past narrowly defined borders. Several recent adolescent novels provide access to the classics and may generate interest among middle school students in reading classic literature. The author argues that the ability of adolescent novels to generate interest in classic texts is a more efficient and relevant method of introducing middle school readers to the canon and prepares them for the classical texts they will encounter in high school English classes. Encouraging adolescents to use a form of intertextuality as a tool for creating interest in canonical texts prompts teachers and researchers to re-cast adolescent literature as worthwhile and important. This article explores the intertextual connections that exist between a sampling of middle grade/young adult novels and canonical literature. (Contains 1 table.)

The article discusses using author visits as a tool to enhance learning, motivation and connection among students studying writing for children and young adults. It discusses the impact of author visits on students' understanding of writing for young people; their confidence as writers; and their career aspirations; the process of inviting authors into the classroom; selecting texts and authors; and highlights student responses to the author visits.

The article discusses the popularity of graphic novels, comic books, and manga on young adults. It explores the contribution of these reading materials on young adult's learning development when they are used in classrooms. It highlights some of these works which include "Winter Town" by Stephen Emond, "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, and "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick.

The article presents literary criticism of the books "Dust" by Arthur Slade, "After Hamelin" by Bill Richardson, and "Awake and Dreaming" by Kit Pearson. It explores the relationship between adolescence and liminality in the novels. According to the author, these novels differ from conventional linear depictions of adolescence. It is suggested that while adolescence is often seen as a liminal period which must be left behind, these books present it as a source of strength.

Objective—To determine humoral responses to an equine encephalitis vaccine in healthy alpacas. Design—Clinical trial. Animals-39 healthy alpacas on 1 farm and 86 healthy alpacas on a second farm. Procedures—All alpacas were given 3 doses IM of a biyalent, killed-virus equine encephalitis vaccine, with 4 weeks between doses. Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus neutralizing antibody responses were determined with a plaque reduction neutralization assay every 14 days in alpacas on the first farm and 70 days after the first dose of vaccine on the second farm. Results—For alpacas on the first farm, geometric mean virus neutralizing antibody titer peaked 2 weeks after the third vaccine dose was given lie, day 70). At this time, 29 of 38 (76%) animals were seropositive for antibodies against EEE virus, and percentage of animals ≤ 2 years old that were seropositive (16/17) was significantly higher than percentage of animals > 6 years old that were seropositive (1/5). For alpacas on the second farm, 76 (88%) were seropositive on day 70, and percentage of animals ≤ 2 years old that were seropositive (24/24) was significantly higher than percentage of animals > 6 years old that were seropositive (27/33). For both farms, geometric mean titer on day 70 was significantly higher in animals < 2 years old than in animals > 6 years old. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggested that inoculation of alpacas with 3 doses of a bivalent, killed-virus equine encephalitis vaccine induced a humoral antibody response against EEE virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BHMA David Cobbold essay prize awards £250 each year to the best essay by an undergraduate healthcare student. This year's winner is printed here. Next year's title is Students' Health Matters. The closing date is 27 February 2009. See page 40 for full details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a brief profile of German author Mirjam Pressler and her works. Pressler was born in 1940 in Darmstadt, Germany, and attended the Frankfurt Academy and Fine Arts in Munich, Germany. Her books for children and adolescents tell a wide range of stories that are important to young people.

The article presents a brief profile of Croatian illustrator Svjetlan Junakovic and his works. Junakovic was born in 1961 in Zagreb, Croatia, and he made his own cartoon films with a 8mm camera and drew strip cartoons during his childhood. He was mainly interested in sculpture, which he studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan, Italy.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article that discusses the diversification of veterinary schools and colleges in the U.S. in the previous issue.

Abstract: In 2018, the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System received 1,438 tuberculosis (TB) notifications, representing a rate of 5.8 per 100,000 population, consistent with the preceding three years. Australia has achieved and maintained good tuberculosis (TB) control since the mid-1980s, sustaining a low annual TB incidence rate of approximately five to six cases per 100,000 population. The number of multi-drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases diagnosed in Australia is low by international standards, with approximately 2% of TB notifications per year classified as MDR-TB. Australia's overseas-born population continue to represent the majority of TB notifications (between 86% to 89% across the four reporting years) and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population continues to record TB rates around four to five times higher than the Australian-born Non-Indigenous population. Whilst Australia has achieved and maintained excellent control of TB in Australia, sustained effort is required to reduce local rates further, especially among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, and to contribute to the achievement of the World Health Organization's goal to end the global TB epidemic by 2035., (© Commonwealth of Australia CC BY-NC-ND.)

Abstract: Since the introduction of COVID-19-related public health measures, notifications for most nationally notifiable diseases have declined when compared to previous years. Physical distancing, travel restrictions, and emphasis on hygiene are likely to have affected the number of expected notifications, with the greatest reductions observed among disease spread via person-to-person contact such as influenza, and among overseas-acquired infections such as dengue virus and measles. However, quantifying the magnitude of the effect of COVID-19 public health measures on communicable diseases in Australia will be difficult, due to confounding factors such as: changes in testing priorities in laboratories; diversion of resources to the COVID-19 response; changes in health-seeking behaviours; greater utilisation of telehealth practices; and financial impacts such as income loss and ability to afford healthcare. It is considered likely that these other factors will have also impacted notification numbers., (© Commonwealth of Australia CC BY-NC-ND.)