A measles infographic: virus, symptoms and white blood cells

Here’s a measles infographic prepared using a range of sources and some feedback from the public. It aims to present measles symptoms and the levels of the virus and white Read More ...

United States influenza: biggest season in 15 years of data

The United States has been suffering from many influenza virus infections. And it looks like those are translating into a “flunami” of hospitalisations, which has resulted in the US CDC Read More ...

The US 2024-2025 flu season and the vaccine

The United States has been having one of its biggest influenza (flu) years. Let’s look at how this season’s northern hemisphere flu vaccine, which most Americans most likely didn’t seek Read More ...

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia – a 2022 study and the current state

A brief overview of a report describing the 2022 discovery of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia. This was the first local outbreak in southern Australia and set the stage Read More ...

A measles infographic: virus, symptoms and white blood cells

Posted onMarch 27, 2025April 1, 2025Leave a comment

Here’s a measles infographic prepared using a range of sources and some feedback from the public. It aims to present measles symptoms and the levels of the virus and white Read More …

United States influenza: biggest season in 15 years of data

Posted onFebruary 18, 2025February 25, 2025

No new A/H7N8 chook farms hit in Victoria so far

Posted onFebruary 17, 2025February 17, 2025

Two poultry farms in the southern Australian State of Victoria have been quarantined for high pathogenicity avian influenza A/H7N8 infections, but spread to additional farms has not been observed so Read More …

The US 2024-2025 flu season and the vaccine

Posted onFebruary 13, 2025February 13, 2025

An illustration of a spherical RSV virion.

A good news RSV vaccine story for adults

Posted onFebruary 5, 2025February 5, 2025

An overview of a new study in adults showing the Abrysvo respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine preventing lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) caused by RSV infection among older adults, a Read More …

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia – a 2022 study and the current state

Posted onJanuary 29, 2025February 19, 2025

A brief overview of a report describing the 2022 discovery of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia. This was the first local outbreak in southern Australia and set the stage Read More …

people in facial mask standing on sidewalk

Not the “Chinese flu” label thing again…please

Posted onJanuary 6, 2025January 11, 2025

A few recent headlines have suggested something novel and infectious might be brewing among China’s children. But is it really novel? The hard-to-source headlines imply that we should be concerned. Read More …

SNAPDATE: MPOX cases in Australia, 14.09.2024

Posted onSeptember 14, 2024October 19, 2024

MPOX, the disease resulting from Monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection, continues to rise rapidly in Australia, as elsewhere in the world. It is unclear if Australia has rolled out more of Read More …

In Australia, COVID-19 deaths may have stopped decreasing

Posted onSeptember 6, 2024September 9, 20241 Comment

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) published excellent data on deaths due to or with COVID-19 in Australia from 2022 to July 2024. Deaths dropped between 2022 and 2023, but Read More …

It takes a while to gather death data

Posted onSeptember 5, 2024September 5, 2024

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) published some excellent data on the sad topic of mortality (death) in Australia. In doing that, they nicely defined why it takes patience to Read More …

Update on Monkeypox virus (MPXV) transmission in Australia

Posted onAugust 6, 2024August 6, 2024

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) causes MPOX. A ‘global outbreak’ of infections and disease became noticeable in 2022. The MPOX outbreak continues, and below is an update on the ongoing MPOX cases Read More …

More PCR cycles don’t mean magic results

Posted onAugust 5, 2024February 13, 2025

The quote below has been circulated for a while, amplified by those with no PCR understanding. Its focus is to make you believe that too many PCR cycles create false Read More …

Stop Hijacking Definitions To Farm Anger And Clicks!

Posted onDecember 29, 2023February 9, 2025

It’s a funny old time to be a scientist. Advances are being made as ever, and new knowledge around airborne virus infection and transmission is accruing like never before. Not Read More …

What is “Immunity Debt”?

Posted onDecember 2, 2023December 29, 20233 Comments

Something called “immunity debt” has been in the news quite a bit lately. Most recently, because of what looks like a multicountry Mycoplasma pneumoniae epidemic, but before then, in the Read More …

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Australia – worth not(ify)ing

Posted onAugust 27, 2023August 27, 2023

Once upon a time, we grew viruses from sick patients’ samples. This took an age, failed often, had low throughput and was not a good diagnostic tool. Then we developed Read More …

Virology Down Under

Facts, data, info, expert opinion and a reasonable, occasionally grumpy, voice on viruses: what they are, how they tick and the illnesses they may cause.

Latest posts...

A measles infographic: virus, symptoms and white blood cells

United States influenza: biggest season in 15 years of data

The US 2024-2025 flu season and the vaccine

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia – a 2022 study and the current state

A measles infographic: virus, symptoms and white blood cells

United States influenza: biggest season in 15 years of data

No new A/H7N8 chook farms hit in Victoria so far

The US 2024-2025 flu season and the vaccine

A good news RSV vaccine story for adults

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia – a 2022 study and the current state

Not the “Chinese flu” label thing again…please

SNAPDATE: MPOX cases in Australia, 14.09.2024

In Australia, COVID-19 deaths may have stopped decreasing

It takes a while to gather death data

Update on Monkeypox virus (MPXV) transmission in Australia

More PCR cycles don’t mean magic results

Stop Hijacking Definitions To Farm Anger And Clicks!

What is “Immunity Debt”?

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Australia – worth not(ify)ing