Our group focuses on vaccine preventable diseases, epidemiology and
surveillance, social and demographic factors influencing immunisation uptake,
serosurveys to determine community levels of immunity and many other issues
relating to immunisation and vaccine preventable diseases.
We were established in late 1997 by the National Centre for Disease Control,
Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care as an initiative under the
Seven Point Plan for the "Immunise Australia" program. The Centre
analyses, interprets and evaluates national surveillance data on immunisation
coverage and vaccine preventable diseases. NCIRS also identifies research
priorities, coordinates research on immunisation and the epidemiology of
vaccine preventable diseases in Australia and contributes to the development of
national policies.
NCIRS has provided editorial and scientific support for the production of
the new 8th edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook. The Centre
has also provided support to the Australian Technical Advisory Group on
Immunisation (ATAGI) which included chairing working parties of ATAGI,
including the Pneumococcal, Varicella and the Adolescent Pertussis working
parties.
NCIRS has also carried out a number of major research projects using the
Australian Childhood Immunisation Register data (ACIR). These include a study
of vaccine coverage in Australia
Immunisation
coverage: Australia 2001 
,
the influence of incentive payments on parents' immunisation decisions and a
profile of children recorded as under-immunised on the ACIR. On the NCIRS
website maps of
immunisation
coverage are now available.
NCIRS has continued working on the impact of the 1998 Measles Control
Campaign (MCC) through disease modelling using serosurvey data from before and
after the MCC and vaccination coverage estimates from the ACIR. Other disease
modelling projects the Centre has undertaken include: Hepatitis A, Varicella
and Zoster modelling. NCIRS is also involved in economic modelling, undertaking
studies on inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine (IPV), conjugated pneumococcal
vaccine (7vPCV), influenza vaccine for 50-64 years and pneumococcal vaccine
>65 years. The IPV economic study showed that the IPV program was unlikely to
be cost-effective unless the vaccine was provided in a combined formulation
with the IPV component price below $A10.
Disease burden studies of pertussis, invasive pneumococcal disease,
Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), RSV, rubella, Hepatitis A and varicella and
herpes zoster have been undertaken and results published.
NCIRS is also working on immunisation coverage and VPDs in Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people, with work to commence on the evaluation of the
National Indigenous Pneumococcal and Influenza Immunisation (NIPII) program.
NCIRS has sought to increase its research activity relating to behavioural
and attitudinal aspects relevant to vaccination programs, undertaking research
projects on providers' attitudes and studies on non-immunising parents.
NCIRS has continued taking part in a series of vaccine trials including a
9-valent pneumococcal poly-saccharide conjugate vaccine in children,
combination meningococcal C and 9-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine versus
vaccines given separately and 5th dose DTPa trial among children with local
reactions following DTPa at 18 months.
NCIRS has increased its collaborations and partnerships through signing a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CRC for Vaccine Technology, Brisbane and
signing a MOU with Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (CIDM), Sydney.
Immunisation - Myths & Realities. Responding to arguments against immunisation - a guide for providers (3rd edition). MacIntyre, C.R., & Gidding, H. (eds). (2001). Canberra: Commonwealth Department of Health & Aged Care. http://immunise.health.gov.au/myths_2.pdf
Meningococcal disease and vaccine policy in Australia - 2000 and beyond [workshop proceedings] (2001). J Paediatr Child Health, 37, S1-S37.
Amin, J., Gilbert, G.L., Escott, R.G., Heath, T.C., & Burgess, M.A. (2001). Hepatitis A epidemiology in Australia: national seroprevalence and notifications. Med J Aust, 174, 338-341.
Andrews, R., Whitfield, K., Kelly, H., McIntyre, P., & Butler, J. Economic analysis of various options for population level funded influenza and pneumococcal immunisation programs. (2002). Report to the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing.
Blumer, C., Roche, P., Spencer, J., Lin, M., Milton, A., Bunn, C., Gidding, H., Kaldor, J., Kirk, M., Hall, R., Della-Porta, T., Leader, R., & Wright, P. (2003). Australia's notifiable disease status, 2001: Annual report of the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. Commun Dis Intell, 27, 1-78.
Burgess, M.A., & McIntyre, P.B. (2001). Immunisation, the microbiologist and the public's health. Microbiology Australia, 22(2), 31-32.
Burgess, M.A., Rodger, A.J., Waite, S.A., & Collard, F. (2001). Comparative immunogenicity and safety of two dosing schedules of a combined hepatitis A and B vaccine in healthy adolescent volunteers: An open, randomised study. Vaccine, 19, 4835-4841.
Burgess, M., & Forrest, J. Congenital rubella. In Elliott, E., Ridley, G., Morris, A., Redmond, D., & Williams, G. (eds) (2001). Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit Eighth Annual Report 2000. Sydney: APSU. p.27-28.
Burgess, M., & Forrest, J. Congenital rubella. In: Elliott, E., Ridley, G,, Rose, D., Morris, A., Redmond, D., & Fowler, J. (eds) (2002). Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit Ninth Annual Report 2001. Sydney: APSU. p.25.
Burgess, M. (2003). Immunisation: a public health success. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 1-5.
Burgess, M. (2003). Tears often shed. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 5-8.
Burgess, M.A., & Lester, R. (2003). Meningococcal vaccines. Australian Prescriber, 26, 56-58.
Davies, P., Chapman, S., & Leask, J. (2002). Antivaccination activists on the world wide web. Arch Dis Child, 87, 22-25.
Forrest, J.M., Turnbull, F.M., Sholler, G.F., Hawker, R.E., Martin, F.J., Doran, T.T., & Burgess, M.A. (2002). Gregg's congenital rubella patients 60 years later. Med J Aust, 177, 664-667.
Gidding, H. (2001). Microbiologists on the move: becoming an epidemiologist. Microbiology Australia, 22(2), 33.
Gidding, H.F., Burgess, M.A., & Kempe, A.E. (2001). A short history of vaccination in Australia. Med J Aust, 174, 37-40.
Gidding, H.F., & Gilbert, G.L. (2001). Measles immunity in young Australian adults. Commun Dis Intell, 25, 133-136.
Gidding, H.F. (2003). Australia's national serosurveillance program. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 90-93.
Gilbert, G.L., Escott, R.G., Gidding, H.F., Turnbull, F.M., Heath, T.C., McIntyre, P.B., & Burgess, M.A. (2001). Impact of the Australian Measles Control Campaign on immunity to measles and rubella. Epidemiol Infect, 127, 297-303.
Hull, B.P., McIntyre, P.B., & Sayer, G.P. (2001). Factors associated with low uptake of measles and pertussis vaccines--an ecologic study based on the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register. Aust N Z J Public Health, 25, 405-410.
Hull, B., Lawrence, G., MacIntyre, C.R., & McIntyre, P. Immunisation Coverage: Australia 2001. (2002). Canberra: Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. http://www.health.gov.au/pubhlth/strateg/immunis/report.pdf
Hull, B., & McIntyre, P. (2003). Mapping immunisation coverage and conscientious objectors to immunisation in NSW. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 8-12.
Kelly, H., Riddell, M.A., Gidding, H., Nolan, T., & Gilbert, G.L. (2002). A random cluster survey and a convenience sample give comparable estimates of immunity to vaccine preventable diseases in children of school age in Victoria, Australia. Vaccine, 20, 3130-3136.
Lawrence, G., Campbell-Lloyd, S., & Rixon, G. (2003). Monitoring adverse events following immunisation. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 21-24.
Leask, J. (2002). Vaccination and risk communication: summary of a workshop, Arlington Virginia, USA, 5-6 October 2000. J Paediatr Child Health, 38, 124-128.
Leask, J., & Williams, A. (2002). Risks and benefits of immunisation - the flip side of the coin. In touch: newsletter of the Public Health Association of Australia Inc, 19(3), 3.
Lin, M., Roche, P., Spencer, J., Milton, A., Wright, P., Witteveen, D., Leader, R., Merianos, A., Bunn, C., Gidding, H., Kaldor, J., Kirk, M., Hall, R., & Della-Porta, T. (2002). Australia's notifiable diseases status, 2000. Annual report of the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. Commun Dis Intell, 26, 118-203.
MacIntyre, C.R., & McIntyre, P.B. (2001). MMR, autism and inflammatory bowel disease: responding to patient concerns using an evidence-based framework. Med J Aust, 175, 127-128.
MacIntyre, C.R. (2001). Hepatitis B vaccine: Risks and benefits of universal neonatal vaccination. J Paediatr Child Health, 37, 215-217.
MacIntyre, C.R., Gay, N.J., Gidding, H.F., Hull, B.P., Gilbert, G.L., & McIntyre, P.B. (2002). A mathematical model to measure the impact of the Measles Control Campaign on the potential for measles transmission in Australia. Int J Infect Dis, 6, 277-282.
MacIntyre, C.R. (2002). The value of epidemiology [letter]. Molecular Pathology Online, 8 May 2002. http://mp.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/54/6/DC1#6.
MacIntyre, C.R., Kainer, M.A., & Brown, G.V. (2003). A randomised, clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of hospital and community-based reminder systems for increasing uptake of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine in hospitalised patients aged 65 years and over. Gerontology, 49, 33-40.
MacIntyre, C.R., Hull, B., Burgess, M., & Gay, N. (2003). Measles control in NSW Divisions of General Practice. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 13-17.
MacIntyre, C.R., Burgess, M.A., Hull, B., & McIntyre, P.B. (2003). Hepatitis A vaccination options for Australia. J Paediatr Child Health, 39, 83-87.
McIntyre, P., Hull, B., & Lester, R. (2001). In defence of the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register [letter]. Aust N Z J Public Health, 25, 380.
McIntyre, P., Gidding, H., Gilmour, R., Lawrence, G., Hull, B., Horby, P., Wang, H., Andrews, R., & Burgess, M. (2002). Vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Australia, 1999-2000. Commun Dis Intell, 26, 1-111. http://www.cda.gov.au/pubs/cdi/2002/cdi26suppl/pdf/vpd99_00.pdf
McIntyre, P., Issacs, D., Merianos, A., Hogg, G., Gilbert, L., & Roberton, D. Invasive haemophilus influenzae infection. In: Elliott, E., Ridley, G., Morris, A., Redmond, D., & Williams, G. (eds) (2001). Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit Eighth Annual Report 2000. Sydney: APSU. p.16-18.
McIntyre, P., Elliott, E., McEniery, J., Massie, J., Knight, G., Ridley, G., & Morris, A. Hospitalised pertussis in infancy. In: Elliott, E., Ridley, G., Morris, A., Redmond, D., & Williams, G. (eds) (2001). Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit Eighth Annual Report 2000. Sydney: APSU. p.44-45.
McIntyre, P., Elliott, E., Morris, A., Ridley, G., Massie, J., McEniery, J., & Knight, G. Hospitalised pertussis in infancy. In: Elliott, E., Ridley, G, Rose, D., Morris, A., Redmond, D, & Fowler, J. (eds) (2002). Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit Ninth Annual Report 2001. Sydney: APSU. p.11-14.
McIntyre, P., Williams, A., & Leask, J. (2003). Refusal of parents to vaccinate: dereliction of duty or legitimate personal choice? [editorial] Med J Aust, 178, 150-151. http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/178_04_170203/mci10747_fm.pdf
McIntyre, P., Gilmour, R., & Watson, M. (2003). Differences in the epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease, Metropolitan NSW, 1997-2001. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 85-9.
McIntyre, P. (2003). Guest Editorial: Lessons from surveillance - solving the pertussis puzzle. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 69-71.
McMaster, P., McIntyre, P., Gilmour, R., Gilbert, L., Kakakios, A., & Mellis, C. (2002). The emergence of resistant pneumococcal meningitis--implications for empiric therapy. Arch Dis Child, 87, 207-210.
Menzies, R., Wang, H., & McIntyre, P. (2003) Has pertussis increased in New South Wales over the past decade? An evaluation using hospitalisation and mortality data versus notifications 1988-2002. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 71-6.
Nolan, T., McIntyre, P., Roberton, D., & Descamps, D. (2002). Reactogenicity and immunogenicity of a live attenuated tetravalent measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine. Vaccine, 21, 281-289.
Poynten, M., Hanlon, M., Irwig, L., & Gilbert, G.L. (2002). Serological diagnosis of pertussis: evaluation of IgA against whole cell and specific Bordetella pertussis antigens as markers of recent infection. Epidemiol Infect, 128, 161-167.
Roche, P., McIntyre, P., & Spencer, J. (2003) Pneumococcal disease in Australia: current status and future challenges. A report of the workshop held at NCIRS 8-9 November, 2002. Commun Dis Intell, 27, 79-84.
Torvaldsen, S., Hull, B.P., & McIntyre, P.B. (2002). Using the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register to track the transition from whole-cell to acellular pertussis vaccines. Commun Dis Intell, 26, 581-583.
Torvaldsen, S., & McIntyre, P.B. (2002). Observational methods in epidemiologic assessment of vaccine effectiveness. Commun Dis Intell, 26, 451-457.
Torvaldsen, S., Simpson, J.M., & McIntyre, P. (2003). Effectiveness of pertussis vaccination in New South Wales, Australia, 1996-1998. Eur J Epidemiol, 18, 63-69.
Torvaldsen, S., McIntyre, P.B. (2003) Do variations in pertussis notifications reflect incidence or surveillance practices? A comparison of New South Wales infant notification and hospitalisation data in NSW. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 81-4.
Tucker, A.W., Issacs, D., & Burgess, M. (2001). Cost-effectiveness analysis of changing from live oral poliovirus vaccine to inactivated poliovirus vaccine in Australia. Aust N Z J Public Health, 25, 411-416.
Turnbull, F.M., Burgess, M.A., McIntyre, P.B., Lambert, S.B., Gilbert, G.L., Gidding, H.F., Escott, R.G., Achat, H.M., Hull, B.P., Wang, H., Sam, G.A., & Mead, C.L. (2001). The Australian Measles Control Campaign, 1998. Bull World Health Organ, 79, 882-888.
Turnbull, F.M., McIntyre, P.B., Achat, H.M., Wang, H., Stapledon, R., Gold, M., & Burgess, M.A. (2002). National study of adverse reactions after vaccination with bacille calmette-guerin. Clin Infect Dis, 34, 447-453.
Williams, A. (2002). Reduction in the hepatitis B related burden of disease--measuring the success of universal immunisation programs. Commun Dis Intell, 26, 458-460.
Wood, N. (2003). Immunisation adverse events clinics. NSW Public Health Bull, 14, 25-27.
