The ASA 11th Annual Scientific Meeting "Antimicrobials 2010" will be held in just FIVE WEEKS at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel in Sydney on 25 - 27 February 2010.

The scientific program for the meeting has an outstanding line up of speakers and topics and includes:

Three Plenary Sessions:
What Resistance Surveillance Tells Us (Hajo Grundmann, The Netherlands)
Peptide Ant-Infectives (Michael Yeaman, United States of America)
Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) in Hand (Pat Charles, Australia)

Five Symposia
Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci
New Understandings of Antimicrobial Resistance Mechanisms
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Invasive Fungal Infections
Antimicrobial Resistance as a Public Health Issue

Two Workshops
VRE Screening: Practical and Benchtop Tips
The Drugs and Information Technology in Antimicrobial Stewardship - Lessons Learnt?

In addition 50 proffered papers have been submitted and will be presented in three oral and two poster sessions.

Delegates are also invited to attend the six breakfast and three lunch time industry sessions that have been organised by Society's Foundation Members.

To promote discussion and interaction between delegates and the invited speakers the meeting's registration includes lunches, morning and afternoon teas and admission to the Welcome and Industry Receptions.

For complete information on the meeting's programme, meeting registration and hotel reservations please visit http://www.antimicrobials2010.com.

The ASA Committee looks forward to seeing you in Sydney.

Financial Members of the Australian Society for Antimicrobials are invited to the Society's 11th Annual General Meeting

Time: 1730 - 1830
Date: Thursday 25 February 2010
Venue: Perth/Sydney Ballroom. Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

The meeting's agenda and the minutes from the 10th AGM can be downloaded from the Members Area (Antimicrobials '10) of the ASA website
http://www.asainc.net.au/members/micro2010

Antimicrobials 2010
www.antimicrobials2010.com

Antimicrobials 2010
ASA Annual Scientific Meeting
25 - 27 February 2010
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

Thermofisher (Oxoid) Breakfast Symposium
Saturday 27 February 2010

"Manage your Inbox Without it Managing You"

Facilitator:
Craig Gowan
Australian Institute of Management

Meeting Online Registration and Programme Details
www.antimicrobials2010.com

Antimicrobials 2010
ASA Annual Scientific Meeting
25 - 27 February 2010
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

BD Breakfast Symposium
Friday 26 February 2010

"Patients on Antibiotics....A Challenge for Blood Culture Systems?...Not Necessarily!"

Speaker:
Dr Michael Towns. Vice President - World Wide Medical Affairs, BD Diagnostic Systems

Michael Towns oversees a large clinical research group based in Baltimore, MD that conduct clinical trials worldwide for BD Diagnostic System’s infectious disease diagnostic tests. He has extensive experience in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases, with a special interest in the clinical significance and detection of bloodstream infections, a topic on which he has lectured worldwide. He is currently on the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) Blood Culture Subcommittee, as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Microbiology Devices Advisory Board, representing the diagnostic industry.

Meeting Online Registration and Programme Details
www.antimicrobials2010.com

Antimicrobials 2010
ASA Annual Scientific Meeting
25 - 27 February 2010
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

Pfizer Breakfast Symposium
Thursday 25 February 2010

Treatment of Healthcare-Associated, Hospital Acquired and Ventilator Associated Pneumonia

Speaker:
Dr Daniel Kett, Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida

Chair:
Prof John Turnidge, SA Pathology (Women's and Children's Hospital)

Dr. Daniel Kett is a Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Leonard Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami. Currently, Dr. Kett is the Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida. Dr. Kett is the Associate Chief, Section of Critical Care Medicine at the University of Miami and the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Areas of clinical and research interests include new therapies for severe infections, new treatments for acute lung injury and advances in the prevention and treatment of thrombo-embolic disease. Dr. Kett is an investigator for the Bacteriology and Mycoses Study Group and is active in several projects involving fungal infections in critically ill patients.

Meeting Online Registration and Programme Details
www.antimicrobials2010.com

Staphylococcal sepsis remains a significant healthcare problem worldwide, both in the community and in hospital practice. The literature demonstrates that outcomes are suboptimal for some cases of invasive staphylococcal infection. Factors known to impact on outcomes include resistance, especially methicillin resistance, and toxin production such as TSST-1 and PVL.

To understand the local epidemiology of severe Staphylococcus aureus disease in Australia and New Zealand a cooperative, under the auspices of the Australian Society for Antimicrobials, has been established; the Australian New Zealand Cooperative on Outcomes in Staphylococcal Sepsis (ANZCOSS).

Antimicrobials 2010
ASA Annual Scientific Meeting
25 - 27 February 2010
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

Bayer Schering Pharma Breakfast Symposium
Friday 26 February 2010

Recent Developments in Travel Medicine Vaccines, Antimalarials and Geosentinel Tropical Disease Surveillance

Joseph Torresi, Austin Hospital.Victoria.

Meeting Online Registration and Programme Details
www.antimicrobials2010.com

The Australian Society for Antimicrobials Committee congratulate the following ASA Members for being awarded an ASA Travel Award to attend Antimicrobials 2010 in Sydney (25 - 27 February 2010):

Stephen Tristram. University of Tasmania, Australia.
Screening and Identifying BLNAR and BLPACR Strains of H. influenzae.

Natasha Holmes. Austin Health, Australia.
Vancomycin Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) in Australian Staphylococcus aureus Bactaeraemia (SAB) - An Australian and New Zealand Cooperative on Outcomes in Staphylococcal Sepsis (ANZCOSS) Substudy.

Steven Tong. Menzies School of Health Research, Australia.
Molecular Detection of the H275Y Oseltamivir Resistance Mutation in Influenza A/H1N1 2009 by Step-Down RT-PCR and SYBR Green High-Resolution Melting Analysis.

Antimicrobials 2010
ASA Annual Scientific Meeting
25 - 27 February 2010
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

Novartis Lunch Symposium
Thursday 25 February 2010

Insights into Current Treatments of S. aureus Infections

Professor John Turnidge, South Australia Pathology
"What we have learned from ANZCOSS?"

Dr Ben Howden, Austin Health
"An update on clinical impact and mechanisms of hVISA and VISA"

Dr Tony Korman, Monash Medical Centre
Mississippi Mud No More? A review of vancomycin toxicity in the 21st century."

Followed by Questions & Answers

Meeting Online Registration and Program Details
www.antimicrobials2010.com

Important Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009

Antimicrobials 2010
ASA Annual Scientific Meeting
25 - 27 February 2010
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

Janssen Cilag Lunch Symposium
Friday 26 February 2010

Professor David Paterson
“Update on Resistance and Therapy of Pseudomonas”

Professor Keryn Christiansen
“The Comparative Activity of Carbapenems Testing (COMPACT) Study”


Meeting Online Registration and Program Details
www.antimicrobials2010.com

Important Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009

Immuno Lunch Symposium
Saturday 27 February 2010

Antimicrobials 2010
ASA Annual Scientific Meeting
25 - 27 February 2010
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

"Loss of Innocence: The Emergence and Rapid Control of VRE in Darwin"
Krispin Hajkowicz
Microbiology Registrar
Infectious Diseases Advanced Trainee
Royal Darwin Hospital

“Yesterday, All my Troubles Seemed so Far Away”
Paul Southwell.
Principal Scientist
Microbiology Department
Royal Darwin Hospital

Meeting Online Registration
www.antimicrobials2010.com

Important Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009

On behalf of the Australian Society for Antimicrobials, I invite you to submit abstracts for presentation at the ASA 11th Annual Scientific Meeting "Antimicrobials 2010".

The meeting will be held at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel in Sydney on 25 - 27 February 2010. The scientific program for the meeting has an outstanding line up of speakers and topics that will be of interest to anyone active in the fields of antimicrobials.

The deadline for abstract submissions is Friday 11th December 2009. I urge you to submit your abstract as soon as possible, and plan on joining your colleagues and peers in Sydney for this educational and enjoyable meeting. Take advantage of reduced registration fees by registering on or before Friday 11th December 2009.

Abstracts must be submitted to the Australian Society for Antimicrobials by e-mail (info@asainc.net.au). Hardcopy submissions will not be accepted. Maximum Number of words: 500 words. One figure or table may be included in the abstract Please nominate your presentation preference (oral or poster). Please note oral presentations cannot be guaranteed. Presentation format will be decided by the ASA Committee. Accepted abstracts will be eligible for early bird registration

For complete information on the meeting's programme, meeting registration and hotel reservation please visit http://www.antimicrobials2010.com.

Important Dates:
Early Bird Registration and Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009
Abstract Notification: Friday 18th December 2009

I look forward to seeing you in Sydney

Sincerely yours,

Graeme Nimmo
President Australian Society for Antimicrobials

Antimicrobials 2010
ASA Annual Scientific Meeting
25 - 27 February 2010
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

bioMerieux Australia Breakfast Symposium
Thursday 25 February 2010

Professor David Paterson
'Molecular Epidemiology of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria: Past Surprises, Future Options'.

Professor Paterson is based at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research. His major research interests involves the molecular and clinical epidemiology of infections with antibiotic resistant organisms with a particular focus on the translation of knowledge into prevention and treatment of these infections.

David's presentation will include a discussion on
- Molecular epidemiology: why is there a clinical need?
- Problems with PFGE
- PCR based methods
- Sequence based methods
- Experience with MRSA
- Experience with CR-Acinetobacter and use as an international typing system
- Experience with ESBL positive Ecoli and use to detect pandemic ST131 clone
- Experience with mycobacteria
- The US PULSENET experience and the need for a nationwide molecular
epidemiology surveillance network using a common system

Meeting Online Registration
www.antimicrobials2010.com

Important Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009

Antimicrobials 2010
ASA Annual Scientific Meeting
25 - 27 February 2010
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

Merck Sharp & Dohme Breakfast Symposium
Saturday 27 February 2010

Professor David Paterson
"Pandemic Multiply of Resistant E. coli"

Professor Paterson is based at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research. His major research interests involves the molecular and clinical epidemiology of infections with antibiotic resistant organisms with a particular focus on the translation of knowledge into prevention and treatment of these infections.

David's presentation will include a discussion on the worldwide spread of ESBL producing E. coli in the community and the resulting limitations this places on treatment options upon presentation to hospital.

Meeting Online Registration
www.antimicrobials2010.com

Important Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009

Antimicrobials 2010
February 25 - 27 2010
11th Annual Australian Society for Antimicrobials (ASA) National Scientific Meeting
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney

Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009
Maximum Number of words: 500 words. One figure or table may be included in the abstract

Abstracts must be submitted to the ASA by e-mail (info@asainc.net.au) by Friday 11th December 2009. Hardcopy submissions will not be accepted. Please nominate your presentation preference (oral or poster). Please note oral presentations cannot be guaranteed. Presentation format will be decided by the ASA Committee. Accepted abstract presenters will be eligible for early bird registration.

Meeting details including Program: http://www.antimicrobials2010.com

Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 11th December 2009.

The "Australian Antimicrobials Surveillance Programmes" section is now available in the ASA website's site menu (http://www.asainc.net.au).

The following antimicrobial surveillance reports can be downloaded from this section:

Australian Group for Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR)
2007 Hospital Surveillance Programme
2006 Community Surveillance Programme
2004 Gram negative Surveillance Programme
2005 Streptococcus pneumoniae Surveillance Programme
2005 Enterococcus Surveillance Programme

Western Australian MRSA Epidemiology Programme
MRSA Epidemiology Report (01/07/2008 to 31/12/2008)

Reports will be regularly updated as they become available.

ASA invites submission of other Australian/New Zealand antimicrobial surveillance programmes for the website. For further information contact info@asainc.net.au.

The latest ANZCOSS Newsletter is now available on the ASA wesbite (http://www.asainc.net.au/anzcintro)

For further information on ANZCOSS please do not hesitate to contact Despina Kotsanas (ANZCOSS Data Administrator) despina.kotsanas@southernhealth.org.au

The Australian Society for Antimicrobials Committee and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals congratulates Dr Douglas Johnson from the Department of Infectious Diseases at Austin Hospital on being awarded the “2009 ASA/AstraZeneca Travel Award”.

This Award will assist Dr Johnson in attending the 49th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (San Francisco USA) where he will be presenting his abstract "Neutralising Antibody Responses to a Recombinant Mammalian Cell Derived Hepatitis C (HCV) Virus like Particle Vaccine"

The Australian Society for Antimicrobials Committee would like to thank Murray Green and AstraZeneca Pharamaceuticals for their continuing support of the Society.

This award is for attendance at the 2009 Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC). The meeting will be held in San Francisco from 12th to 15th of September. The award consists of return economy airfare, accommodation and conference registration up to the value of AU$5,000.

Applicants must have current ASA membership and must have been a member for at least the last 12 months. The Award is conditional upon the abstract being accepted by the ICAAC program committee for presentation (oral or poster). In addition the recipient of the Award is required to write a report on the meeting for the ASA Newsletter.

The Award will not be made to the same applicant in consecutive years.

ASA members who wish to apply for this award are invited to submit their application to the ASA Secretary Jacqueline Schooneveldt at info@asainc.net.au before 1 May 2009. The application should include a copy of the ICAAC abstract and for abstracts with more than one author, a letter stating the relative contribution of the applicant towards the research.

The ASA wishes to thank AstraZeneca for their continuing support of this award.

The next International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections (ISSSI) will be held in Bath in the United Kingdom in September 2010.

The website www.isssi2010.com will be made live in June 2009.

ASA will be providing a travel scholarship preferably to a PhD student or an advanced trainee who will be presenting at the meeting.

The scholarship consists of return economy airfare, accommodation and conference registration up to the value of AU$5,000.

Applicants must have current ASA membership and must have been a member for at least the last 12 months. The scholarship is restricted to Australian and New Zealand ASA financial members and is conditional upon the abstract being accepted by the ISSSI2010 program committee for presentation (oral or poster). In addition the recipient of the scholarship is required to write a report on the meeting for the ASA Newsletter .

Eligible ASA members who wish to apply for this scholarship are invited to submit their application to the ASA Secretary Jacqueline Schooneveldt at info@asainc.net.au. The application should include a copy of their abstract and for abstracts with more than one author, a letter stating the relative contribution of the applicant towards the research.

On behalf of bioMerieux the ASA Committee congratulates Justin Ellem for being awarded the 2009 bioMerieux ASA Identifying Resistance Travel Award.

This is awarded to an individual on the basis of a proffered paper (oral or poster) presented during the ASA's Annual Scientific Meeting dealing with the identification of bacterial resistance to antimicrobials in a routine clinical setting.

Justin's paper was titled "Comparison and Evaluation of a Newly Developed Mast 4-Disc Test for the Detection of Plasmid-Mediated AmpC Beta-Lactamases".

The award consists of AU$1000 cash prize, a commemorative plaque, and the provisions of flights, accommodation and registration for the recipient to attend Antimicrobials 2010. The award committee consisted of two ASA committee members and a bioMerieux staff member.

The ASA Committee wishes to thank bioMerieux for their ongoing support of the Society and its annual scientific meeting.

Many of the Antimicrobials 2009 presentations will be available shortly on the ASA website.

ASA Annual Scientific Meeting

bioMérieux Australia Breakfast Symposium
Thursday 26th February 2009

Snapshot of Bacteremia .....from Early Detection of Sepsis to the Final Classification of Strain Types

The use of Procalcitonin (PCT) as a Successful Marker for Bacterial Sepsis.
Dr Marcel Leroi, Microbiology Department, SWAHS, Nepean Hospital, NSW

Diversilab-Microbial DNA Typing by Automated Repetitive-Sequence-Based PCR - A Rapid Solution to Track Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI)
Dr. Mimi Healy, Bacterial Barcodes, a subsidiary of bioMérieux - Durham, North Carolina. USA

Hilton on the Park Hotel
26 - 28 February 2009
Antimicrobials2009.com

ASA Annual Scientific Meeting

Bayer Schering Pharma Breakfast Symposium
Friday 27 February 2009

"The Art and Science of Setting and Revising Susceptibility Testing Breakpoints"
John Turnidge. South Australian Pathology, South Australia.

Hilton on the Park Hotel
26 - 28 February 2009
www.antimicrobials2009.com

ASA Annual Scientific Meeting

Thermo Fisher Scientific Breakfast Symposium
Saturday 28 February

"Designing Slides that Stick: Helping your Audience Understand & Retain your Message"
Lucy Thomson, Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor

Getting a complex message across to the uninitiated can be a frustrating affair. The electronic chloroform that is the average bullet-point-fest PowerPoint presentation does not help. But there is a better way. Honest. Using PowerPoints drawing & animation tools to reveal your system/plan or using pictures to emotionally illustrate your story can help your technical and non-technical audiences alike to really understand and retain your message. Learn about these methods, the science behind it and much more in a session that will open your eyes to the possibility of taking your PowerPoint to the next level.

Lucy Thomson is a Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor (or jedi for short) and in January 2008 was honoured to be invited to join the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional programme: MVPs are (according to Microsoft) "exceptional technical community leaders worldwide who share their high quality real world expertise with others". In other words, she knows what she is talking about AND she is really nice. A passionate speaker and advocate of PowerPoint, her work has been seen on the international conference stage, been used for international tenders and has even been known to get a standing ovation in the tricky after lunch slot.

Lucy's work life has given her experience in a wide variety of industries across 3 continents. From large multi-nationals to NGOs, from retail to legal via education, conservation and a few industries in between.


This Breakfast Symposium is a Professional Development Session, provided by Oxoid, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science.


Antimicrobials 2009
26 - 28 February 2009
Hilton on the Park
www.antimicrobials2009.com

ASA Annual Scientific Meeting

BD Diagnostics Breakfast Symposium
Friday 27 February 2009

Rapid Detection for Healthcare Associated Infections

Rapid PCR Detection of Clostridium difficile
Tom Riley. University of Western Australia

Using an Enzyme Extraction Method on the GeneOhm MRSA Assay
Ian Kay. Pathwest Laboratory Medicine - WA. Royal Perth Hospital

Antimicrobials 2009
26th - 28th February 2009
Hilton on the Park, Melbourne
www.antimicrobials2009.com

ASA Annual Scientific Meeting "Antimicrobials 2009"
Roche Products-sponsored breakfast symposium

Thursday 26th February 2009

"Antiviral resistance in seasonal influenza viruses" - Dr Aeron Hurt

"Improved influenza surveillance in aged care facilities enables earlier treatment and outbreak control" - Professor Robert Booy

Antimicrobials 2009
26th - 28th February 2009
Hilton on the Park, Melbourne
www.antimicrobials2009.com

Early Bird Registration: Friday 12th December 2008
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 12th December 2008

ASA Annual Scientific Meeting "Antimicrobials 2009"
Janssen-Cilag-sponsored lunch-time symposium

Friday 27 February 2009

Treatment choices for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the era of resistance
David Paterson

Utilizing PK/PD to optimize antipseudomonal treatments
Jeff Lipman

Panel Discussion


Antimicrobials 2009
26th - 28th February 2009
Hilton on the Park, Melbourne
www.antimicrobials2009.com

Early Bird Registration: Friday 12th December 2008
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 12th December 2008

Advancing the Management of Serious Gram-positive Infections

Novartis-sponsored lunch-time symposium at the ASA annual scientific meeting "Antimicrobials 2009"

Preliminary Programme

Thursday 26 February 2009

Is there a problem with vancomycin?
John Turnidge
Clinical Professor of Paediatrics and Pathology. Division of Laboratory Medicine, South Australia Pathology.

Clinical experience with daptomycin
David Paterson
Professor of Medicine. University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research.

Questions and Answers


Antimicrobials 2009
26th - 28th February 2009
Hilton on the Park, Melbourne
www.antimicrobials2009.com

Early Bird Registration: Friday 12th December 2008
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 12th December 2008

The Australian Society for Antimicrobials in conjunction with the Infectious Diseases COSP would like to invite pharmacists to the Antimicrobials 2009 conference to be held at Hilton on the Park, Melbourne, on Thursday 26th to Saturday 28th February 2009. The programmes symposia covers many different aspects on antimicrobials including 'How to Use Antibiotics Better', 'Vaccine and Antibiotic Use' and 'Antimicrobial Drug Development'. The Pharmacy Workshop at this conference will focus on 'The Bugs (eg viral infections and infective endocarditis)' and 'The Drugs (eg. Antibiotic Desensitisation)'. For more information, see http://www.antimicrobials2009.com.

The material in the Pharmacy Workshop (3 hours of content as Group-1 activity) has been accredited by SHPA as suitable for inclusion in an individual pharmacist's CPD plan as outlined in the SHPA CPD program at http://www.shpa.org.au/docs/cpd.html. The program addresses pharmacist competencies, including: Competency Unit 3.1, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2 and 7.2.

13th International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections
7 to 10 September 2008
Cairns Convention Centre
www.isssi2008.com

LATE BREAKER ABSTRACT SUBMISSION CLOSES ON MONDAY 11 AUGUST 2008

Astracts should be a maximum of 250 words and can be submitted to isssi2008@icms.com.au.

Abstracts will be considered under the following topics.

Resistance Determinants
Virulence Determinants
Cell Wall
Slime Layer
Immunity
Vaccines
Healthcare-associated infection
Community-acquired infection
Antimicrobials
Therapeutics
Staphylococcus aureus
MRSA
Coagulase-negative staphylococci
Typing
Nomenclature
Infection in animals
Diagnostics

The meeting's programme and registration details can be found on the meeting's website www.isssi2008.com

On behalf of AstraZeneca, the ASA Committee would like to congratulate Dr Anton Peleg and Dr Catherine Bennett on being awarded an ICAAC 2008 AstraZeneca Travel Award to attend the 48th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobials Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) being held in Washington USA 25 to 28th October 2008.

Their abstracts have recently been accepted by the ICAAC Organsing Committee:

Relationship between Virulence and Reduced Susceptibility to Daptomycin in Staphylococcus aureus
Anton Peleg. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Boston, USA

Galleria mellonella as a Model System to Study Acinetobacter baumannii Pathogenesis and Therapeutics
Anton Peleg. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Boston, USA

Patient and Infection Characteristics Associated with the Presence of pvl in Community Onset Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Melbourne, Australia
Catherine Bennett. The University of Melbourne, Australia

The ASA Committee would like to once again thank Murray Green and AstraZeneca Pty Ltd for providing this award.

The Australain Society for Antimicrobials congratulates and welcomes Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia on becoming a Gold Foundation Member of the Society.

During the meeting Antimicrobials 2009 (Hilton on the Park, Melbourne 26 - 28 February 2009) a Novartis lunch time symposium has been scheduled for Thursday 26th February. Full details to follow.

Antimicrobials 2009
www.antimicrobials2009.com
Early Bird Registration: Friday 12th December 2008
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 12th December 2008

13th International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections
7 - 10 September 2008
Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns. Australia
www.isssi2008.com


The programme and abstracts can now be downloaded from the meeting's website (www.isssi2008.com).

Early bird registration closes Friday 18th July 2008. Please be aware accommodation is filling fast so please book now.

The meeting's programme covers a diverse range of subjects on staphylococcal research including clinical and infection control issues, therapeutics, drug resistance, molecular epidemiology, genome and gene regulation, and pathogenesis. These sessions will be presented by the world's leading experts including John Fraser (New Zealand), Keiichi Hiramatsu (Japan) and Alex van Belkum (The Netherlands).

Included in the meeting's programme is the lunch time symposium "PVL - Does it Matter?". This controversial "debate" will be presented by Barry Kreiswirth from the New Jersey Medical School, USA, and Francois Vandenesch from Lyon University, France.

In addition to the main programme several satellite symposia are scheduled including:

Stategy for Racalcitrant MRSA Infection (Infectious Diseases Society of Taiwan and Western Pacific Society of Chemotherapy)

Optimal Appropriate Early Treatment for Serious Staphylococcal Infections (Novartis)

MRSA (International Society for Chemotherapy)

Late Breaker Abstracts submissions are now open. Abstracts should be a maximum of 250 words and can be submitted to isssi2008@icms.com.au. Late Breakers close 11 August 2008.


For all enquiries please e-mail the symposium office isssi2008.com.au.

On behalf of AstraZeneca, ASA is able to once again offer the ASA AstraZeneca Travel Award to ASA members.

This award is for attendance at the 2008 Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in Washington, USA (25 - 28 October) . The award consists of return economy airfare, accommodation and conference registration up to the value of AU$5,000.

Applicants must have curent ASA membership and must have been an ASA member for at least the last 12 months. The Award is conditional upon the abstract being accepted by the ICAAC program committee for presentation (oral or poster). In addition the recipient of the Award is required to write a report on the meeting for the ASA Newsletter.

The Award will not be made to the same applicant in consecutive years.

ASA members who wish to apply for this award are invited to submit their application to the ASA Secretary Jacqueline Schooneveldt at info@asainc.net.au. The application should include a copy of the ICAAC abstract and for abstracts with more than one author, a letter stating the relative contribution of the applicant towards the research.

13th International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections (ISSSI 2008).
Cairns Convention Centre, Australia
7 - 10 September 2008
www.isssi2008.com


A number of travel fellowships are available for young investigators wishing to attend ISSSI 2008

The conditions for the fellowships are as follows:

1). Applicants must be tertiary students, post-doctoral fellows, or medical microbiology or infectious diseases trainees;

2). Applicants must submit an abstract for presentation at the Symposium and a brief curriculum vitae (no more than 250 words) stating their current and most recent previous positions and up to 5 recent publications;

3). Abstracts and curricula vitae will be ranked in order of merit and fellowships awarded accordingly as funds permit; and

4). Successful applicants will receive funding for registration, a return economy airfare and a per diem allowance of AUD 200.00.

To apply for a travel grant, please email the Symposium Organisers at isssi2008@icms.com.au and provide the following information:

a). Full name
b). Institution / Organisation
c). Contact Email Address and Street Address
d). Abstract Title
e). Abstract Category
f). Abstract Submission Number
g). 250 Curriculum Vitae

Antimicrobials 2008
21 - 23 February 2008
Stamford Plaza Double Bay

Pfizer Lunchtime Debate
Thursday 21 February
1215 - 1345

"MRSA pneumonia - To Vancomycin or to Linezolid? That is the Question"

Moderator
Paul Johnson. Infectious Diseases Department, Austin Health. Victoria.

Paul will present a short hypothetical case of MRSA pneumonia and ask the audience to vote on whether they would start vancomycin or linezolid.

Participants
Lindsay Grayson. Infectious Diseases Department, Austin Health. Victoria.
"Why you should use vancomycin"

Ben Howden. Infectious Diseases Department, Austin Health. Victoria.
"Why you should use linezolid"

Opportunities after each presentation for audience questions and clarification

www.antimicrobials2008.com

Antimicrobials 2008
Stamford Plaza - Double Bay, Sydney
21 - 23 February 2008
On-line Registration: www.antimicrobials2008.com

Roche Breakfast Symposium
Saturday 23 February
0700 - 0845

From Seasonal to Pandemic Influenzae - The Role of Antiviral Medication

From Laboratory to Clinic - NI Resistance in Seasonal and Avian Influenzae
Dominic Dwyer. CIDMLS, ICPMR. Westmead Hospital

Medical Management of Influenzae Infection: A Clinical Update
Darrin Gilchrist. Roche Products Australia.

Antimicrobials 2008
Stamford Plaza - Double Bay, Sydney
21 - 23 February 2008
On-line Registration: www.antimicrobials2008.com

Oxoid Breakfast Symposium
Saturday 23 February
0700 - 0845

"The Focus, Thoughts and Actions of High-Achievers"
John Lees (http://web.johnlees.com.au)

This entertaining session investigates the lies and truth about why it is that high-achievers, in any field of human endeavour, do so consistently well...and enjoy themselves so much in the process.

Antimicrobials 2008
Stamford Plaza - Double Bay, Sydney
21 - 23 February 2008

Wyeth Breakfast Symposium
Thursday 21 February
0700 - 0845

Resistance Trends in the Asia Pacific Region Speaker:
Jan Bell
Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
Children, Youth & Women's Health Service
Women's & Children's Hospital

www.antimicrobials2008.com

Antimicrobials 2008
Stamford Double Bay, Sydney
21 - 23 February 2008

bioMerieux Breakfast Symposium
Friday 22 February
0700 - 0845

ChromID VRE - A Comparative Study
Elizabeth Grabsch (Microbiology Department, Austin Health, Victoria)

ChromID ESBL -The Austin Experience
Janet Montgomery (Microbiology Department, Austin Health, Victoria)

DiversiLab - Bringing CSI to Salmonella Serotyping
Tony Pavic (Birling Avian Laboratories, NSW)


www.antimicrobials2008.com
Important Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 14th December 2007
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 14th December 2007

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to join us for the 9th Annual Australian Society for Antimicrobials (ASA) Scientific Meeting "Antimicrobials 2008". This conference at the Stamford Double Bay, Sydney, 21-23 February 2008, promises to be our most valuable meeting yet!

The continued growth and success of this conference over the past few years has been a true testimony of the need for a meeting focusing on antimicrobials. Attendees have offered praise for the quality of the scientific program.

Continuing with our successful abstract submissions tradition, we will again be accepting abstracts for both oral and poster presentations. We look forward to reviewing and sharing your research findings with the community. Three oral and two poster sessions are planned for the meeting.

Abstracts must be submitted to the ASA by e-mail (info@asainc.net.au) by Friday 14th December 2007. Hardcopy submissions will not be accepted. Please nominate your preference (oral or poster). Please note oral presentations cannot be guaranteed. Presentation format will be decided by the ASA Committee. Accepted abstracts will be eligible for early bird registration.

We hope you will be able to join us for what is sure to be a rewarding and dynamic experience, as your perspectives and contributions add immeasurable value to this scientific meeting. We look forward to seeing you in Sydney

Keryn Chistiansen
President ASA

Online Registration: www.antimicrobials2008.com
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 14th December 2007

Fungal Susceptibility Workshop (1500 - 1700 Saturday 23rd February 2008).
Antimicrobials 2008
21 - 23 February 2008
Stamford Plaza Double Bay, Sydney
www.antimicrobials2008.com

Coordinator: David Ellis

Antifungal Susceptibility Testing and Resistance Trends - CLSI
David Ellis (Women's and Children' Hospital, South Australia)

Antifungal Susceptibility Testing - MRS
Tania Sorrell (Westmead Hospital, New South Wales)

Antifungal Resistance Mechanisms
Sharon Chen (Westmead Hospital, New South Wales)

Antifungal Drug Levels
Debbie Marriott (St Vincents Hospital, New South Wales)

The Utility of Galactomannan Testing for the Rapid Diagnosis of Aspergillosis
Catriona Halliday (Westmead Hospital, New South Wales)

Registration details can be found at www.antimicrobials2008.com.

Antimicrobials 2008
Important Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 14th December 2007
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 14th December 2007

Antimicrobials 2008
Stamford Double Bay, Sydney
21 - 23 February 2008

Bayer HealthCare Breakfast Symposium
Friday 22 February
0700 - 0845

Prudent Quinolone use in Australia - Have we Reaped the Benefits?

National Regulatory Measures Used to Contain Quinolone Use
Keryn Christiansen (Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, PathWest Laboratory Medicine - WA, Royal Perth Hospital. Western Australia.)

Resistance Surveillance Data in Australia
Jan Bell (Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Womens' and Children's Hospital. South Australia.)

www.antimicrobials2008.com

Important Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 14th December 2007
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 14th December 2007

Antimicrobials 2008
Stamford Double Bay, Sydney
21 - 23 February 2008

BD Diagnostics Breakfast Symposium
Thursday 21 February
0700 - 0845

Keeping MRSA out of Western Australian Hospitals: Recent Challenges and the Laboratory Response
Geoff Coombs (Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, PathWest Laboratory Medicine - WA, Royal Perth Hospital)

Real Time PCR Results in a Real-Time Laboratory - the Group B Streptococcus Experience
Lee Thomas (Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital)

www.antimicrobials2008.com

Important Dates
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 14th December 2007
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday 14th December 2007

On-line registration for the Australian Society for Antimicrobials 9th Annual Scientific Meeting (Antimicrobials 2008) is now available on www.antimicrobials2008.com

Venue: Stamford Plaza Double Bay, Sydney
Dates: 21-23 February 2008

Important Dates:
Abstract Submission Deadline Friday, 14 December 2007
Early Bird Registration Deadline Friday, 14 December 2007
Abstract Notification Friday, 28 December 2007
Accommodation Booking Deadline Friday, 18 January 2008

Plenary Speakers

Professor David Hooper
Professor of Medicine (Harvard Medical School)
Chief, Infection Control Unit
Associate Chief and Fellowship Program Director, Division of Infectious Diseases
Massachusetts General Hosptal, United States of America

Professor Peter Hawkey
Professor of Clinical and Public Health Bacteriology and Honorary Consultant
University of Birmingham and Health Protection Agency West Midlands Public Health Laboratory, United Kingdom

Professor David Paterson
Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Queensland
Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician and Microbiologist at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Australia

An updated version of the The Australian New Zealand Cooperative on Outcomes in Staphylococcal Sepsis User's Manual is now available in the ANZCOSS section of the ASA website (www.asainc.net.au)

In addition a PDF of the latest ANZCOSS Newsletter (11/07/07) is also available.

For further information please do not hesitate to contact Despina Kotsanas (ANZCOSS Data Administrator) despina.kotsanas@southernhealth.org.au

The report "A Comprehenive Integrated Surveillance Programme to Improve Australia's Response to Antimicrobial Resistance" is now available on the ASA website (www.asainc.net.au).

This report was written by Dr Jonathan Webber for the NHMRC Expert Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (EAGER) and can be accessed in the "Publications" section of the Members Area of the website

Staphylococcal sepsis remains a significant healthcare problem worldwide, both in the community and in hospital practice. The literature demonstrates that outcomes are suboptimal for some cases of invasive staphylococcal infection. Factors known to impact on outcomes include resistance, especially methicillin-resistance, and toxin production such as TSST-1 and PVL.

To understand the local epidemiology of severe Staphylococcus aureus disease in Australia and New Zealand a cooperative, under the auspices of the Australian Society for Antimicrobials, has been established; the Australian New Zealand Cooperative on Outcomes in Staphylococcal Sepsis (ANZCOSS).

Initial objective:
Gathering basic data on outcomes is considered the first important objective. The cooperative needs to define the extent of the problem in hospital practice, and document outcomes before it can start planning future studies and interventions. To achieve this goal, at least 12 months of preliminary national data are required on outcomes of S aureus sepsis.

As from the 21st May 2007 19 sites from 6 Australian states/territories and 3 sites from New Zealand will commence contributing data.

Participating institutions will submit, on-line, basic demographic, risk factor and outcome data on patients with S aureus sepsis seen at their sites on a continuous basis, with the first full review of outcome data occurring after 12 months of data have been entered.

ANZCOSS invites all institutions in Australia and New Zealand to become a member of the cooperative

For further information please contact John Turnidge (john.turnidge@cywhs.sa.gov.au) or the ANZCOSS Data Administrator, Despina Kotsanas (despina.kotsanas@southernhealth.org.au)

ASA will be hosting the 13th International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections (ISSSI) at the Cairns Convention Centre from 7th to 10th September 2008.

The ISSSI is held every two years and after Japan (2002), the USA (2004) and The Netherlands (2006), the meeting, for the first time, will be held in the southern hemisphere.

We will have state-of-the-art lectures, short presentations selected from submitted abstracts as well as posters. Sponsored sessions related to the symposium topics are also planned.

We cordially invite all colleagues interested in staphylococci and staphylococcal infections to attend, and we are look forward to seeing you in Cairns in September 2008.

Further preliminary information on ISSSI2008 can found on the meeting's website www.isssi2008.com

Kind regards

Keryn Christiansen
President of ASA

Graeme Nimmo
President-Elect of ASA
Chair ISSSI Organising Committee

The ASA Committee wishes to acknowledge the following companies for becoming Foundation (Sustaining) Members of the Society

Wyeth
Bayer Australia
GlaxoSmithKline
Roche
AstraZeneca
bioMerieux Australia
Oxoid Australia
Pfizer
Becton Dickinson

Foundation Members websites can be located in the Foundation (Sustaining) Members section of the ASA webpage