Latest news with #CycloneJasper
Medscape
20-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Flooding Triggers Major Melioidosis Outbreak in Australia
Australia has recorded its highest number of cases of the tropical bacterial infection melioidosis, which is thought to have been triggered by major rainfall and flooding. The outbreak has placed pressure on already strained hospitals in the area. The northeastern state of Queensland has recorded an unprecedented 215 cases of melioidosis so far this year compared with 59 cases over a similar period in 2024 and 46 cases in 2023. The state also recorded 31 deaths. 'We've had about four times more [cases] in Cairns and the hinterland area compared to the year-to-date average, and about six times more here in Townsville than the year-to-date average,' Jeff Warner, PhD, a microbiologist at the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine at James Cook University in Townsville, told Medscape Medical News. Both cities border the Great Barrier Reef. Townsville experienced massive floods in January and February caused by record-breaking rainfall, which is likely to have contributed to the surge in infections. Cairns has also experienced its wettest March on record. 'On top of what was already probably a spreader event back from Cyclone Jasper flooding, there's now been this additional significant weather event this year with a lot of water and a lot of flooding,' said Aileen Traves, MD, a general practitioner in Cairns. 'That obviously has made a huge difference to seeing the numbers really spike.' Aileen Traves, MD The increase in cases has put pressure on hospitals in the area, Traves told Medscape Medical News . 'There have been some additional pressures, like on intensive care here, because some of the people are so sick that they're actually ending up in the ICU.' 'Great Imitator' Melioidosis is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei , which is found in soil and water. The disease is endemic in tropical regions around the world, including northern Australia, and outbreaks are commonly tied to major rainfall events such as the monsoon. The infection can present as pneumonia, skin infections, or septicemia and has a mortality rate that ranges from around 10% in Australia to as high as 40% in Thailand. 'Clinically, it's one of the great imitators, along with tuberculosis and syphilis,' said Steven Donohue, MD, director of the Townsville Public Health Unit in Queensland. 'In other words, it can present in very different ways,' It can also remain latent or subclinical for a long period, potentially even decades. This feature led to its being labeled the 'Vietnamese time bomb' by US military personnel who were infected during their service in the Vietnam war. Steven Donohue, MD Those most vulnerable to severe infection tend to be older individuals with preexisting comorbidities, such as diabetes and kidney disease, and those with impaired immune systems. But one unusual feature of this latest outbreak is the number of younger, otherwise healthy individuals — particularly those working on building sites — presenting with the infection. 'They're often young, fit, and male, but they're working in conditions where they are being exposed potentially to the bacteria in their job,' Traves said. Potential Routes of Exposure How patients get exposed to and infected with B pseudomallei is still uncertain, Warner said. Bore water has been implicated as a source of infection through ingestion, as has subcutaneous inoculation via cuts or abrasions. Another possible source is inhalation. 'It's almost certainly true that it is aerosolized during the extreme weather.' Given that the organism usually resides in the soil, soil disturbance from development may be contributing to some of the clusters. 'The hypothesis up in Cairns is that the Bruce Highway extension being pushed through just south of Cairns has disrupted the environment to such an extent as to release B pseudomallei from layers of soil that weren't [normally exposed] to people,' he said. Another theory is that the cleanup from flooding in Townsville has exposed more people to the bacterium than usual. 'People are often having to clean up after floods or heavy rain in the wet, and often people are doing this with bare feet,' Donohue said. That cleanup process also sometimes includes the use of pressure hoses, which can aerosolize the water and soil and increase the likelihood of inhalation by people who are 'not necessarily wearing a mask or boots or gloves or all of the stuff they should,' he noted. Another factor could be the demographics of Australians in the area, Donohue said. 'We've got an aging population with a high rate of chronic diseases and also human movement into new suburbs and new settlements, so a lot of changes in behavior, a lot of changes in the environment.' Australia has experienced numerous extreme flooding events in recent years, particularly along the eastern coast, that have been attributed to climate change. This latest outbreak highlights the human health risks for climate change, Traves said. 'People don't always think about the associations with human health and planetary health, but I think this is a classic example.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Road workers capture 'very rarely seen' Aussie creature in incredible footage
Late-night road workers patching up a cyclone-hit region were treated to an incredible encounter, signalling an exciting shift in the population of one of Australia's most elusive creatures. A Bennett's tree-kangaroo has been "making appearances" along the Cape Tribulation Road in Far North Queensland since March, with council workers "lucky" enough to capture a few seconds of incredible footage of the rare marsupial on the side of the road. Works along the road have been ongoing since Cyclone Jasper flooding caused landslips along the roads in December, 2023. "He seems to have adjusted to our midnight closure of Alexandra Range and is often at the first corner north of the lookout at approximately 12.15 am lately," A FNQ Traffic Management spokesperson told Yahoo. The elusive marsupial was described to Yahoo as "cryptic and difficult to see in the wild" by Wildlife Habitat General Manager Clare Hunt. It is found only in Papua New Guinea and in northern Queensland, with some subspecies critically endangered to the point there were previously estimated to be fewer than 50 individuals left. The Bennett's tree-kangaroo, found in the Queensland's Daintree region, is listed as near-threatened. The Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo, also shares this classification. However the increase in sightings signals that population may be on the mend. "They are quite rarely seen," Peter Valentine, president of the Tree-Kangaroo and Mammal Group told Yahoo News, of the Bennett's tree-kangaroo sighting, describing it as a "really good sign". "I am interpreting these more recent sightings as a signal that [their populations] are becoming more secure. "I'd like to make that optimistic interpretation for the Bennett's kangaroos which were very rarely seen in the past." Watch the footageThere are several important factors affecting the populations of tree-kangaroos in Australia. "The biggest threats come from humans," explained Valentine. The key threats come from habitat clearing, and also road collisions and attacks from animals like domestic dogs. "Many tree-kangaroos, especially young males, are killed by us driving too fast on roads," he said. While tree-kangaroos, as the name suggests, spend the majority of their time up in the tree canopies, they are known to come to the ground. Predatory birds and snakes may force them to come to ground level, or if they are looking to reach new food sources. Tree-kangaroos live in family groups with one male and multiple females in the same area. When young males get to a certain age, Valentine said they are "hunted out" by older males, putting them on the move in the environment looking for new territory. 🌳 Rare Australian tree-kangaroos can finally be studied, thanks to new tech ⚠️ Little-known device on roadside post mistaken for 'speed camera' 🦘 Tragic roadside photo highlights common trend at Aussie tourist spot "Every road we build in the rainforest is a threat to any animal that has to continue living in that habitat,' he said, with young male tree-kangaroos being particularly susceptible to collisions. "Most of the dead tree-kangaroos are young males, looking for new territory and in doing that, crossing roads more frequently than others," he said. "These young males are performing an important population task in spreading genes." "One thing we can do to improve the situation would be to help people better understand the need to slow down on these roads," he said. "Most of the deaths will be from cars, and those cars are travelling too fast. Those accidents are easier to avoid if you're not travelling as fast," he said. Hunt told Yahoo that the video gives locals and visitors "a clear view" of what they should be looking for on and around the roads. "Tree-kangaroos are more active very early and late in the day, and overnight," she explained. It's believed seasonal variations in temperature and rain, which affect food quality, are likely to impact the frequency of tree-kangaroos accessing the forest floor. "This may well be why this individual has been seen on a number of occasions in the same area," she said. "Drivers should be conscious of the species to look out for in the local region, and Australia is certainly well known for high frequency of kangaroo and wallaby activity during early morning, late in the day and overnight. These tree kangaroos are no different." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
