Tea tree oil.
Riley TV, Carson CF, Hammer KA, Smith DW

Several projects currently funded by the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation continue to operate in the Division. The two clinical trials have been concluded. The first of these assessed the antiviral activity of the oil as a potential treatment for cold sores and the promising results have just been submitted for publication. The second trial of treatment of bacterial vaginosis with a tea tree oil vaginal gel was in collaboration with a centre in the UK . In addition, work on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of tea tree oil is progressing on two fronts. The activity of tea tree oil again oral pathogens was assessed and the results of this study are about to be published. A new project to investigate the efficacy of tea tree oil as a topical antiseptic has allowed Dr Syndie Messager to join the group and she is using a skin model as part of this work.

Brachyspira ( Serpulina ) pilosicola as a cause of human disease.
Hampson D, Riley TV, Brooke J

This is a collaborative study that continues with Professor David Hampson at the School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at Murdoch University . B.pilosicola is a gut organism that appears to cause diarrhoea and septicaemia in compromised individuals. Improved methods for detection are being developed and these will be used to determine the importance of the organism. Several recent publications have arisen out of this work.

Clostridium difficile.
Riley TV, Thomas C, Goh S, Golledge CL

C.difficile has been an organism of interest to the Division for many years. Methods for the laboratory diagnosis of C.difficile disease continue to be compared and assessed. Several new PCR based detection methods are being evaluated and hopefully these will improve the speed of diagnosis. A study on the epidemiology of C.difficile diarrhoea and showed a reduction in disease following a reduction in cephalosporin use, a significant finding in terms of reducing the financial burden of C.difficile . Studies on alternative therapies for C.difficile are ongoing. Finally, we have isolated and characterised several bacteriophages active against C.difficile . These may be useful for therapy.

Investigation into the microbiology of occupationally related infections in lobster fishermen.
Riley TV, Longbottom CJ, Wang Q, Mee B, Chang B