{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,7]],"date-time":"2026-04-07T01:03:04Z","timestamp":1775523784893,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"CSIRO Publishing","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,19]],"date-time":"2025-12-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1766102400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives and importance of study<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global public health concern. In Australia, TB incidence is low, but remains elevated among overseas-born individuals. This study investigates a TB cluster in a non-clinical hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting transmission dynamics and the public health response.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A retrospective observational study was conducted using medical records and epidemiological contact tracing data within a tertiary hospital in New South Wales, Australia. Three screening rounds targeted office contacts in different air-conditioning zones. Whole genome sequencing was used to assess Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Five secondary cases of TB disease were identified following exposure to the index case, a non-clinical hospital employee with cavitating pulmonary TB. Among 233 identified contacts, 117 completed screening. Initially screened high-risk contacts (n\u00a0=\u00a031) had high rates of TB disease (n\u00a0=\u00a04; 12.9%) and newly detected interferon gamma release assay-positivity (n\u00a0=\u00a014; 45.1%), with lower rates in broader screening. Transmission likely occurred via prolonged office exposure. Whole genome sequencing linked a sixth TB case in a clinical healthcare worker to the cluster, with 26 secondary contacts screened.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study underscores the potential for highly infectious TB transmission within Australian healthcare settings. Timely contact tracing, genomic surveillance, and pre-employment screening are essential for effective prevention and control.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1071\/pu25072","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,19]],"date-time":"2025-12-19T01:26:56Z","timestamp":1766107616000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Tuberculosis transmission in an Australian healthcare setting: lessons learnt from a coordinated public health response"],"prefix":"10.1071","volume":"36","author":[{"given":"M.","family":"Plymoth","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"ADepartment of Infectious Diseases, Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown Hospital, Blacktown Road, Blacktown, Sydney 2148, NSW, Australia."},{"name":"BDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Ume\u00e5 University, Ume\u00e5, Sweden."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"E.","family":"Ulbricht","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CNew 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