Australian National Enterovirus Reference Laboratory annual report, 2022

Area of Science:

• Public Health Surveillance
• Virology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Australia maintains polio-free status through surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in children under 15, adhering to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
• AFP cases are reported to surveillance systems, with specimens sent for virological investigation to identify poliovirus and other enteroviruses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on Australia's 2022 polio surveillance activities and outcomes.
• To assess the sensitivity of the national surveillance system against WHO performance criteria.
• To identify non-polio enteroviruses detected in children with AFP.

Main Methods:

• Clinical surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases in children under 15.
• Notification of AFP cases to the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit and Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance System.
• Virological investigation of faecal specimens by the National Enterovirus Reference Laboratory.

Main Results:

• No cases of poliomyelitis were reported through clinical surveillance in 2022.
• Australia reported 1.69 non-polio AFP cases per 100,000 children, meeting the WHO performance criterion for sensitive surveillance.
• Specific non-polio enteroviruses including coxsackievirus A2, A6, A10, echovirus 18, enterovirus A71, and enterovirus C96 were identified.

Conclusions:

• Australia's surveillance system effectively monitors for poliomyelitis, confirming its polio-free status in 2022.
• The system's sensitivity meets WHO standards, ensuring early detection of potential outbreaks.
• Ongoing surveillance for enteroviruses complements the polio monitoring efforts.