Report of the Commissioner of Public Health / Western Australia.

  • Western Australia. Public Health Department.
Date:
[1975]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Commissioner of Public Health / Western Australia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/226 (page 19)
    were designed to lay down standard recommended procedures for clinical diagnostic bacteriology throughout the Services. Previously issued Broadsheets should be con¬ stantly reviewed and appropriate changes made from time to time. These Broadsheets are intended to replace the Services’ handbook as far as microbiology is concerned. Hand in hand with the Broadsheet publications the Division issues a “Micro- Digest” containing up to date information concerning medical microbiology. These news sheets issued each month are made up of contributions both from the seniors in the Division at Central Laboratories and from workers in branch laboratories. Accommodation The paucity of accommodation for the Division in the South block of the labor¬ atories continues to cause considerable inconvenience. The situation has been ag¬ gravated by the expanding work of several of these sections. Expansion in the virus field has resulted in considerable overcrowding. As also it is appreciated that the North Block will not be completed within the next three years so the strain on avail¬ able accommodation can only increase. Removal of the media preparation section to factory type accommodation outside the Perth Medical Centre is a possible method of relief for other commitments. Staff In the present economic climate it is perhaps inevitable that staff numbers at all levels should have been restricted to a growth rate far short of the increased work load being experienced. It must be stressed that harmful effects on the efficiency of the laboratories will inevitably result if the situation deteriorates further. Hospital Hygiene and Control of Infection Unit This section has become established as a separate unit following demands for such a service. There has been a marked expansion in this work and the small staff available are fully committed. The restricted service in the past has contributed to the perpetuation of less than adequate prevention and control of infection measures taken in hospitals. Their work includes the investigation of outbreaks of cross-infection in hospitals (both in the metropolitan area and in the country districts), the examination of disin¬ fectants with a view to establishing standards of practice in hospitals and the surveil¬ lance of sterilizing efficiency. The phage typing of Staph aureis strains received from all laboratories in the State totalled 3 152 during 1975. This is a valuable service enabling epidemiological studies to be supported by precise bacteriological findings in preventing and controlling cross-infection in hospitals. CLINICAL BACTERIOLOGY LABORATORY During the year specimen numbers increased by 82 per cent above 1974 totals. The unit provides a comprehensive clinical bacteriology service for general practitioners in the metropolitan area as well as those in the country districts without ready access to hospital laboratories. It also serves as a reference laboratory for definitive bacteri¬ ology. For convenience, the bacteriological work carried out in the V.D. Clinic laboratory has been regarded as an extension of the clinical bacteriology section. Meningitis Several cases of meningococcal meningitis occurred in widely distributed areas. Pharyngeal swabs of the contacts were submitted by the country laboratories concerned. N.meningitidis was isolated from two of the contacts along with several doubtfuls which were biochemically meningococci but failed to agglutinate with antisera. Citro- bacter sp. was isolated from another case of meningitis.