Greetings! Welcome to the Spring 2022 edition of the ACCESS Newsletter.
In this newsletter we have an important update about Monkeypox (MPXV) data in ACCESS, please read about this update in the concept sheets section.
The ACCESS Executive has approved a concept sheet to explore and refine ACCESS extracted data for Monkeypox testing and vaccination. The purpose is to ensure that ACCESS has the ability to respond to this emerging public health concern. If you have any questions or are interested in being involved in any future Monkeypox analyses, please contact Jason Asselin.
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ACCESS Analytics has been updated with new data to Q2 2022.
Our online site reporting platform, ACCESS Analytics, allows participating clinics to view dynamic data visualisation reports on key HIV and STI indicators from their service.
Log in to ACCESS Analytics to see your clinic's updated report: https://accessproject.org.au/data
If you would like to create an account, please contact access.analytics@burnet.edu.au.
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Research expressions of interest
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We have created a short survey to capture research areas of interest and expertise related to ACCESS co-authorship. We would like to thank everyone who has responded to this survey, and encourage those who are interested in co-authorship to complete the survey here.
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Jason Asselin (Burnet Institute, ACCESS) has had a concept sheet approved by the Executive to allow the exploration and refinement of current data extraction and processing systems to enable ACCESS to monitor Monkeypox epidemiology in Australia.
The objective is to extract and prepare Monkeypox tests, diagnoses, treatment and vaccination data for surveillance and research activities.
If you have a particular interest in Monkeypox analyses, please contact Jason Asselin, E: jason.asselin@burnet.edu.au
The ACCESS Team will be contacting clinic primary investigators to obtain information as to how Monkeypox tests, diagnoses and vaccinations are recorded in your patient management system.
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While ACCESS is primarily funded for the surveillance of BBVs and STIs, we also aim to support additional research projects on these topics. Requests for data are managed through the submission of concept sheets, which are reviewed and approved by the ACCESS Executive Committee.
A list of all currently approved concept sheets is available on the ACCESS website.
Recent concept sheets include:
- Carol El-Hayek (Burnet Institute), The development and evaluation of a machine learning model to identify people who inject drugs for sentinel surveillance of hepatitis C.
- Laila Khawar (Kirby Institute), Assessing HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B testing coverage in pregnancy in the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance (ACCESS) laboratory dataset.
- Phillip Keen (Kirby Institute), NSW is approaching virtual elimination of HIV transmission among gay and bisexual men in inner Sydney.
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In the recent publication by Traeger et al. (2022) Impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on hepatitis C testing in Australian primary care services providing care for people who inject drugs. in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis, Traeger et al. explored the impact of COVID-19 related lockdowns in Victoria on hepatitis C testing at eleven services participating in ACCESS. Their analysis demonstrates that while there was an initial drop in both antibody and RNA testing following the introduction of both major COVID-19 lockdown periods, testing recovered post-lockdowns. However, testing had not returned to pre-COVID levels by the end of the study period (May 2021).
Despite the recovery in testing, the cumulative number of testing opportunities missed during lockdowns came at a time when hepatitis C testing needed to be ramped up to achieve elimination targets, and such missed opportunities may prolong efforts to find and diagnose the remaining population of people who inject drugs living with undiagnosed hepatitis C. Keeping governments and clinicians engaged in hepatitis C elimination during future COVID waves, and post-COVID, will be essential in reaching 2030 elimination targets.
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Acknowledgement of Country
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The ACCESS Team would like to acknowledge the Bunurong and Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the lands where the Burnet Institute and NRL are located, and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation where the Kirby Institute is located. We acknowledge that the ACCESS project takes place on First Nations' Country throughout Australia and we pay our respect to Elders past and present, and all First Nations people involved in ACCESS.
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