In the news this week:

• Australia eliminates trachoma as a public health problem.
• Mpox vaccine coverage less than expected.
• An outbreak of hantavirus aboard a cruise ship.

References

• Australia becomes the 30th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem
• Mpox disease epidemiology, vaccine uptake and vaccination coverage in Australia 2022–2024: a descriptive study
• Hantavirus-hit cruise ship leaves Cape Verde after three evacuated

Urgent care clinics will receive $1.8 billion in the 2026-7 Budget to make them a permanent part of Australia's health system. 

We speak to the Health Minister Mark Butler about the decision.

Guest

• Mark Butler, Federal Health Minister

Could 'fitspiration' social media content be harming mental health?

A new study from Northwestern has investigated the effects of consuming this content online and argues that it has serious negative effects on young peoples' body image.

Guest

• Valerie Gruest, Phd Candidate, School of Communication, Northwestern University

References

• Lifting the Screen on Fitspiration: A Meta-Analysis

'Phage therapy' is a novel form of treatment aimed at providing an alternative to antibiotics.

What are bacteriophages, how does this therapy work and what are the obstacles to making it a first-line treatment?

References

• Cross-reactive anti-prophage antibodies and bacterial heteroresistance implicated in phage therapeutic failure

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at [email protected]

In the news this week: 

• An outbreak of diptheria in the Kimberley.
• Lower risk of cancer for boys who get a HPV vaccine.
• Negotiations stall on adding Mounjaro to the PBS for people with type 2 diabetes.

References

• Outbreak of diptheria in the Kimberley.
• Nine-Valent Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Related Cancers in Males
• An estimated 450,000 diabetics will miss out on subsidised Mounjaro after negotiations stalled

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has long been a diagnosis of exclusion - doctors rule out a number of other conditions before they can say it's IBS.

That's because there haven't been reliable biomarkers to flag it. But a new analysis from researchers at the University of Newcastle suggests there may in fact be a number of biomarkers associated with IBS.

Guest

• Dr Grace Burns, Postdoctoral Researcher in Immunology and Microbiology, Centre for Research Excellence in Digestive Health, University of Newcastle

References

• Serological and faecal markers of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Symptoms of bowel cancer can include blood in your stool, bloating, constipation, changes in bowel habit and unexplained weight loss.

But two people presenting with the same symptoms could go down very different paths to test if their symptoms are, in fact, bowel cancer.

And that can be due to where you live, with richer areas getting different types of follow up and testing. 

Guest

• Dr Shaoke Lei, Research Fellow in Cancer Services and Data Science, University of Melbourne and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance

References

• Variations in the investigation of colorectal cancer-related symptoms in Australian primary care: a retrospective cohort study

The government's 1800MEDICARE app allows people to access their pathology and diagnostic results once uploaded to their digital health record.

For Christine Kwong from Brisbane, that access meant she spotted a breast cancer finding that might otherwise have fallen through the cracks.

But at the same time, some doctors report difficulties accessing results and navigating the app.

Guests

• Christine Kwong, Brisbane
• Dr Amandeep Hansra, Chief Clinical Adviser, Australian Digital Health Agency

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at [email protected]