Dear all,
Welcome to the third newsletter of this year. The next few months will be very busy for the NCIC, with many exciting international events. These events will be a platform for sharing many significant abstracts and presentations among our colleagues. Stay tuned for updates and highlights from these events!
NCIC Team 2024
From left, (front) Belinda DePoi, Rachel Woolstencroft, Paul Kinsella, Zoe Neoh, Karin Thursky, Monica Slavin, Victoria Hall, Abby Douglas, Elizabeth Gillespie, (middle) Emily Klimevski, Zahra Alizada, Gemma Reynolds, Paul Lawton, Michelle Yong, Megan Crane, (back) Eve Jelovcan, Jess Demajo, Hayley Page, Ben Teh, Vlada Rozova, Nikhil Singh
Announcements
Fantastic Effort! TWO Late Breaker oral abstracts will be presented at ECCMID 2024!
NCIC is extremely proud to announce two late icebreaker oral abstracts were accepted to be presented at ECCMID 2024. Dr Michelle Yong and Dr Vicotria Hall will be presenting their abstracts within a 1- hour oral session. Please visit the ECCMID 2024 programme website to review live changes to session times.
Dr Victoria Hall
A randomised trial of two standard dose vs two adjuvanted influenza vaccines in patients with haematological malignancy
Dr Michelle Yong
IFN nasal spray as prophylaxis reduces the incidence of COVID-19 in cancer patients: A randomized double blinded placebo- controlled study (The C-SMART Trial)
Congratulations Dr Abby Douglas for receiving Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Lea Award!
We're excited to share the great news that Dr. Abby Douglas, a respected NCIC Investigator, has won the 2024 Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Lea Award! This award recognizes female identifying researchers in response to historic gender imbalances in senior ranks of health and science. Abby's groundbreaking work, which started during her NCIC PhD, is all about developing better ways to diagnose Invasive Fungal Infections (IFIs). Abby's work ultimately means less time in hospital and fewer antibiotics for highly vulnerable cancer patients.
From left to right: Dr Dineika Chandrananda, Dr Abby Douglas
Professor Monica Slavin has been appointed “ESCMID Fellow” – Well done!
Congratulations Prof Monica Slavin in being appointed by the ESCMID Executive Committee to receive the title of "ESCMID Fellow". The merit-based title "ESCMID Fellow" recognizes individuals who have achieved professional excellence and rendered outstanding service to the profession and society.
Exciting news: Numerous accepted abstracts to be featured in upcoming events
The next few months will be busy with many exciting events that will take place over March and April. These events will provide the opportunity to communicate on an international level the important work we do. Please attend to support the presenting collogues from all around the world.
NCIC Colleagues Featured abstracts and speaker presentations:
Australasian society for Infectious Diseases (ASID) Annual Scientific Meeting 7-9 March 2024
Abstract Title: Characterising Respiratory Infections in Immune-suppressed Haematology Patients Undergoing Bronchoscopy (CRISP BAL study) – Analysis of the First 80 Episodes of Pulmonary Infiltrates Shio Yen Tio1-3, Leon J. Worth1-3, Surekha Tennakoon1,2, Emily Klimevski1,2, Kar Yee Yong1,2, David Ritchie3,5-6, Joe Sasadeusz4, Lynette Chee5,6, Louis Irving7, Renee Manser7, Monica A. Slavin1-4, Michelle K. Yong1-4
European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) 27-30 April 2024
Abstract Title: Real-world single centre analysis of virological response to Third party CMV-specific T cell lymphocyte (CTL) for refractory CMV infection following allogeneic haematopoietic cell therapy (HCT) Ray Mun Koo1,2, Michelle K Yong 3,4,5, Sarah Tan1, Alexandra Rivalland1, Joe Sasadeusz4 ,Claire Dowsing1, Elizabeth O’Flaherty1, Barbara Hockridge1, Emma-Kate McPherson1, David S Ritchie1,2
Abstract Title: Interferon-α (IFN-α) nasal spray as prophylaxis reduces the incidence of COVID-19 in cancer patients: A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled study (The C-SMART Trial) Michelle K. Yong1-4, Karin Thursky1-4, Megan Crane1,4, Tim Spelman4, Robert K. Mahar5, Julie Simpson5, Andrew M. Scott6, Simon J. Harrison7, Jeff Szer7, Marc Pellegrini8, Senthil Lingaratnam9, Ken C. Pang10, Surekha Tennakoon1,4, Emily Blyth11, Hui K. Gan12, Hang Quach13, Michelle P. McIntosh14, Hayley Page1,3,4, Rachel Woolstencroft1,3,4, Monica Slavin1-4
Invited speaker presentation Dr Zoe Neoh: Beyond clinical trials: Real-world insights into Lomentospora prolificans and Scedosporium spp. infections and treatment
International Immunocompromised Host Society (ICHS) Biennial Symposium 4-7 April 2024
Abstract Title: A CASE OF BRAIN AND LIVER ABSCESSES POST-STEM CELL TRANSPLANT IN THE SETTING OF SUBOPTIMAL ANTIMICROBIAL PROPHYLAXIS for presentation at the ICHS 23rd Symposium Jack Cooper, Alistair Tinson, Florence Ho, Michelle K Yong
Abstract Title: Mixed Invasive Mould Infections in Patients with Haematologic Malignancy Shio Yen Tio1-3, Leon J. Worth1-3, David Ritchie3,5-6, Joe Sasadeusz4, Lynette Chee5, Monica A. Slavin1-4, Michelle K. Yong1-4
Poster presentation Dr Abby Douglas: Cost-effectiveness of FDG-PET/CT for investigation of persistent or recurrent neutropenic fever in high risk patients
Poster presentation Dr Abby Douglas: Pre-neutropenic fever in high-risk haematology patients: A novel target for antimicrobial stewardship
Invited speaker presentation Dr Abby Douglas: Treatment of febrile neutropenia in 2024 in a low risk setting
Abstract Title: Anaerobe-targeting antibiotic exposure associated with poor overall survival after liver transplant -Dr Olivia Smibert BMedSci, MBBS (Hons) FRACP, Dip Trop Med Head of Transplant Infectious Diseases
Feature Paper - Editor’s Choice!
Dr Nikhil Singh was this month’s feature paper’s lead author. Nihil is recognised as a foundation fellow of the Australian and New Zealand college of advanced pharmacy as a consultant in infectious diseases and stewardship. This feature paper was acknowledged as the editor’s choice for the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, well done to the team!
Paper summary: Antimicrobial use, guideline compliance and appropriateness were assessed using 10 years of national prescription data for neutropenic fever. Piperacillin-tazobactam was the most widely preferred antimicrobial however underdosing was observed. Higher rates of inappropriate prescribing were found among the paediatric cohort and private hospitals, highlighting the need to increase resources for antimicrobial stewardship in these settings.
Figure 2
What do you think is a valuable focus for an antifual prescribing audit? Please complete NAPS survey!
The Antifungal National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS), launched in 2022, is a targeted deep dive audit assisting hospitals to understand the quality of systemic antifungal prescribing in their facility. It is a powerful tool to optimise the quality of antifungal prescribing and allows benchmarking of performance against similar facilities.
The NAPS team promotes a targeted audit for benchmarking each year, encouraging healthcare facilities to employ a consistent audit methodology to allow meaningful benchmarking to take place. NAPS is asking healthcare facilities to partake in a survey to understand what Antifungal NAPS users feel is a valuable focus for an antifungal prescribing audit. The findings from this survey will assist in setting a targeted audit methodology for the 2024 and future Antifungal NAPS.
The Antifungal NAPS benchmarked audit for 2024 will be launched mid-year, please keep an eye out for further details!
Visiting Physician: Dr Michelle Balm
We welcomed Dr Michelle Balm, a clinical microbiologist, and infectious diseases physician from New Zealand. Michelle spent one week within the Infectious disease's unit here at Peter Mac to observe clinical practice within the team. We love to host international physicians, strengthening our connection to various colleagues from many places.
We welcomed student Julia Zhevelyuk for her 160- hour placement!
We welcomed Biomedical Science Student Julia Zhevelyuk who completed a 160-hour placement with Peter Mac NCIC team over January/February. She learnt new research skills such as good clinical practice, data management and data collection. We wish her all the best in her future studies.
Please contact us if you are interested in competing your student placement with NCIC by emailing our unit manager directly.
International Women’s Day 8th of March – How do you inspire inclusivity?
Friday 8th of March marks International Women’s Day. Almost 80% of the NCIC are female identifying. However, it is important to recognise that on average men continue to represent the majority among senior researchers and academic leaders in medical research institutes and hospitals within Australia.
Despite this, we want to highlight how proud we are of our team and their achievements. Our goal is to uplift and celebrate the diversity of all women!
Flick through to read some of perspectives of the team, their thoughts on “How does NCIC inspire inclusion?”
Kind regards,
Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology
Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer and Transplantation