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The introduction of rotavirus vaccines Rotarix® and RotaTeq® into the Australian National Immunisation Program in July 2007 has resulted in a dramatic decrease in the burden of rotavirus disease. G2P[4] strains became the dominant genotype Australia-wide during the 2010-2011 surveillance period and for the first time since vaccine introduction, a higher proportion were isolated in jurisdictions using RotaTeq® vaccine compared to locations using Rotarix®. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 gene of 32 G2P[4] strains identified six genetic clusters, these distinct clusters were also observed in the VP4 gene for a subset of 12 strains. The whole genome was determined for a representative strain of clusters; A (RVA/Human-wt/AUS/SA066/2010/G2P[4]), B (RVA/Human-wt/AUS/WAPC703/2010/G2P[4]), C (RVA/Human-wt/AUS/MON008/2010/G2P[4]) and E (RVA/Human-wt/AUS/RCH041/2010/G2P[4]). All of the strains possessed the archetypal DS-1 like genome constellation G2-P[4]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2. Three of the strains, SA066, MON008 and WAPC703 clustered together and were distinct to RCH041 for all 11 genes. The VP7 genes of 31/32 of the strains characterized in this study possessed five conserved amino acid substitutions when compared to the G2 VP7 gene present in the RotaTeq® vaccine. Three of the substitutions were in the VP7 antigenic regions A and C, the substitutions A87T, D96N and S213D have been reported in the majority of G2P[4] strains circulating globally over the previous decade. These changes may have improved the ability of strains to circulate in settings of high vaccine use.

A middle-aged cachectic woman with significant medical history of quadriplegia, chronic osteomyelitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kyphoscoliosis and malnutrition presented with 3 days of persistent nausea and vomiting, absolute constipation and increasing abdominal distention. She has had similar episodes in the recent past, which were milder in nature, and were diagnosed as gastroenteritis. She was hypotensive (blood pressure 86/60 mm Hg) and tachycardic (130 bpm) on arrival, with a grossly distended abdomen and active vomiting. Initial blood tests detected hypokalaemia (K+ of 3.0 mmol/L), a raised white cell count of 23.4×109/L and features of acute kidney injury. A nasogastric tube was inserted and over a litre of bilious gastric contents was immediately aspirated. A non-contrast CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis was performed (as the patient is allergic to iodine contrast), which demonstrated marked …

Foreign body ingestion is a common occurrence. Although over 80% of ingestions resolve spontaneously, approximately 1% of cases will require open surgical intervention. We present a rare case of foreign body ingestion in an 18-year-old man causing distal mechanical small bowel obstruction, requiring exploratory laparotomy and enterotomy. An 18-year-old man with no significant medical history and no previous abdominal operations presented to a regional hospital with a 5-day history of persistent nausea, vomiting, absolute constipation and generalised abdominal pain. On clinical examination, he was tachycardic (116 beats/min) with a low-grade temperature (37.8°C), and had abdominal distension with central abdominal guarding. Plain films showed dilated loops of small bowel, consistent with small bowel obstruction. White cell count was 7.5×109/L and C reactive protein was 74 mg/L. Subsequent evaluation with a CT scan demonstrated appearance of …