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Infections and events monitored by the coordinating centre include:
- Line-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care units (adult, paediatric and neonatal)
- Line associated bloodstream infections outside of intensive care units
- Ventilator-associated events in intensive care units
- Surgical site infections
- Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections in patients admitted to hospital
- Clostridium difficile infections
- Haemodialysis related infectious events
- Methicillin-resistant S.aureus infections and vancomycin-resistant enterococcal infections
- Carbapenamase-resistant enterobacteriaceae (in collaboration with DHHS)
- Occupational exposures of healthcare workers to blood and body fluids
- Healthcare worker seasonal influenza vaccination
- Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis compliance
- Peripheral venous catheter use
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Community Staphylococcus aureus infections
Hospitals in Victoria submit data on all hospitalised S.aureus bloodstream infections, including those considered to be “community acquired”. Rates of infection have undergone a considerable increase in recent years, and VICNISS is currently investigating in conjunction with colleagues in Western Australia observing a similar increase. We are also consulting with MDU on this project, and may undertake collaborative work to investigate possible causes of this increase.
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Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis
Having access to a very large database of compliance and outcome data allows us to investigate many aspects of surgical prophylaxis. We are comparing the effectiveness of different antibiotic regimens for various surgical procedures.
VICNISS is investigating the differences in infection outcome when intra-operative re-dosing was and was not recorded as being performed for lengthy surgical procedures.
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Infections and antimicrobial use in residential aged care
Using data collated in pilot programs in Victoria preceding ac-NAPS, and data from the ac-NAPS surveys, VICNISS and NCAS have published a series of articles focussing on the prevalence of infections and antimicrobial usage in residential aged care homes.
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Trends in infection rates in Victoria
The VICNISS team regularly publish analyses of infection rates, pathogens and related indicators in Victoria to examine trends.

Professor Michael Richards
(03) 9342 9352 | (03) 9342 7212 | michael.richards@mh.org.au
- Position:
- Director of VICNISS
- Theme(s):
- Enteric infections, Malaria, Tuberculosis, Viral Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Bacterial and Parasitic Infections, Dengue, Emerging Infections, Hepatitis , HIV, Influenza
- Discipline(s):
- Education & Professional Development, Computational Science and Genomics, Global Health, Indigenous Health, Public Health, Clinical and health systems research
- Unit(s):
- VICNISS
- Lab Group(s):
- VICNISS
Professor Michael Richards is an Infectious Diseases Physician with particular interest in clinical infectious diseases, healthcare-associated infections, and antimicrobial stewardship. He has been the Director of the Victorian Infectious Diseases Service (VIDS) since 2006. Since 2002, he has also been the inaugural Director of the VICNISS Coordinating Centre. The centre has established a statewide surveillance program for healthcare infections in all 120 Victorian public hospitals, and in several large private hospitals, monitoring and reporting on healthcare infection rates, and prevention processes.