Professor Geoffrey Coombs
PhD, BSc (MedSc), PGrad Dip Biomed Sc, FFSc (RCPA), FASM, FISAC

After obtaining my Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Science) at Curtin University I worked as a Medical Scientist in medical microbiology at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women and then at Royal Perth Hospital, where I became the Principal Scientist in the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

In addition to being the Chair of Public Health and a Fellow of the Centre for Biosecurity and One Health at Murdoch University, I am the Senior Clinical Scientist (Research and Teaching) for the Department of Microbiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, PathWest Laboratory Medicine – WA.

My major area of research focuses on antimicrobial resistance and the molecular evolution and epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus and enterococci particularly in community and livestock associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium.

I have co-authored 216 peer-reviewed scientific papers, presented invited symposia at many national and international conferences, and have over 350 national and international conference publications.

Google Scholar lists my h-index as  51 and my i10 index as 149.  I have 10,962 citations (17 November 2022)

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Technology)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Biomedical Science
• Royal College of Pathology of Australasia Faculty of Science Fellowship (RCPA FFSc)
• Fellow of the Australian Society for Microbiology (FASM)
• Fellow of the International Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (FISAC)

Medical, Microbiology and Forensic Sciences

Undergraduate Teaching Units

BMS324: Clinical Microbiology

BMS424: Clinical Microbiology

VET392: One Health

Western Australia

1.              Western Australian Department of Health

Research on Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) isolated in Western Australia (W.A)

2.              Western Australian Department of Health

Australasian COVID-19 Trial ASCOT

3.              Fiona Stanley Hospital

Evolution of beta-lactam resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa during treatment of major burn injury

4.              Defence Science Centre

Preclinical testing of novel compounds against multi-drug resistant bacteria of biological warfare concern

5.              Channel 7 Telethon Trust

Molecular Epidemiology of Neonatal sepsis Pathogens in Western Australian preterm Infants

Australia

6.              The Australian Group for Antimicrobial Resistance

01/07/2021 to 30/06/2024 Surveillance Programmes

7.              Department of Defence

Pharmaceutical development of antivirulence compounds against BW pathogens

8.              The Australian Group for Antimicrobial Resistance

Genome Sequencing and Susceptibility Testing for Penicillin Susceptible ASSOP 2020 S. aureus Isolates

International

9.              SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance (2022)

An antimicrobial susceptibility study to compare the in vitro activity of antimicrobial agents worldwide

10.          MSD Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART) (2022)

An antimicrobial susceptibility study to compare the in vitro activity of ertapenem and comparative agents.  Approximately 200 centres participate in this study with sites in North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, and Asia-Pacific

11.          Pfizer Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance (ATLAS) (2022)

An antimicrobial susceptibility study to compare the in vitro activity of antimicrobial agents worldwide

12.          European Gram-positive Study (2022)

An antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance study on Gram-positive bacteria.  The study involves 40 investigators: 20 USA, 10 from Europe and 10 from Asia Pacific.

13.          Analysis of Resistance in Antifungals (ARIA) (2022)

Previous NHMRC Grants

• Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus and Antibiotic Resistance in Community-Acquired Infections: 2008 National Health and Medical Research Council (Number 509304)

• Why is Golden Staph now Causing Serious Disease in the Community?: 2011 National Health and Medical Research Council (Number 1008656)

• Understanding patient Movement Networks to Better Prevent Dissemination of Antimicrobial Resistance: 2018 National Health and Medical Research Council (Number GNT1156742)

Awards

1996     Australian Society for Microbiology – Foundation Scholarship.

1999      Warren and Marshall Travel Award -RoyalPerthHospital.

2000      AstraZeneca Travel Award – Australian Society for Antimicrobials.

2003      bioMérieux/ASA Identifying Antimicrobial Resistance Award. 

2005    Australian Society for Microbiology – Tecra Award

2006    Australian Society for Microbiology – Distinguished Service Award

2007    bioMérieux/ASA Identifying Antimicrobial Resistance Award.

2009    bioMérieux/ASM Identifying Antimicrobial Resistance Award For recognition of outstanding career achievements in the field of identification of bacterial resistance to antimicrobials in a clinical setting 

2013   Chancellor’s Letter of Commendation,CurtinUniversity. Doctor of Philosophy 

2013   The 2013 Adjunct Faculty Publishing Award for Curtin University Researchers in Health Sciences 

2017     ESCMID Travel Grant (WHO Observership, Copenhagen Denmark)

 

Invited Speaker (2010 – )

2019

20^th Australian Society for Antimicrobials Annual Scientific Meeting: Antimicrobials 2019, Sydney, Australia 

What Happens when CA-MRSA and LA-MRSA Collide

2018

International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections, Copenhagen, Denmark

What Happens when CA-MRSA and LA-MRSA Collide

17^th Asia-Pacific Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infection and the 8^th International Infection Control Conference, Hong Kong

AGAR – Australia’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program

Pan-Sepsis Research Symposium, 2018, Perth Australia

AGAR – Australia’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program

Gulf Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Dubai UAE

The Importance of an Integrated Infection Service

Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control 2018 Conference, Brisbane, Australia 

The Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) – Update

2017

18^th Australian Society for Antimicrobials Annual Scientific Meeting: Antimicrobials 2017/StaphPath 2017, Adelaide, Australia 

Global Epidemiology of Community Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA)

Australian Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology (ACARE): Beastly Bugs in the Barossa, Barossa Valley, Australia 

An Overview of Australia’s Active AMR Surveillance Program

International Symposium on Antimicrobials Agents and Resistance (ISAAR) and International Interscience Conference on Infection and Chemotherapy (ICIC), Busan, South Korea

Unique Evolution of CA-MRSA Clones

International Congress of Chemotherapy and Infection, Taipei, Taiwan

LA-MRSA epidemiology

2016

International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections, Seoul, Korea

Epidemiology of MRSA, Western-Pacific Region

2016 Australian Society for Microbiology Annual Scientific Meeting, Perth, Australia

The Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) – An Overview of Australia’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Active Surveillance Program

2015

Second International Conference on Infection and Chemotherapy, Seoul, Korea

Global Epidemiology of Community Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA)

2014

Fifth International Society for Chemotherapy (ISC) MRSA Consensus Conference, Verona, Italy

Global Community Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) Epidemiology – Why so Different?

Zoonosis in a Changing World: Two Professions, One Health, ASID, Brisbane

Recent International Experience of AMR Transmission Human/Animal – Gram Positives

Seventh Asia Pacific Society for Infection Control Training Course in Infection Control, Singapore

Controlling MRSA in Western Australia

2013 

Fourth International Society for Chemotherapy (ISC) MRSA Consensus Conference, Baia Verde Hotel, Catania, Italy

MRSA Control-The Australian Way!

9th International Symposium on Antimicrobial Agents and Resistance (ISAAR 2013), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

What do Molecular Epidemiological Studies on CAMRSA tell Us?

2011

The National Centre for Clinical Laboratories

National Clinical Microbiology Work:

Changsha, China

(1) Staphylococcus aureus Typing

(2) Staphylococcusaureus Hospital and Community Surveillance Programmes

(3) Controlling MRSA: Infection Control and the Role of the Laboratory

(4) Controlling VRE: Infection Control and the Role of the Laboratory

Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases Annual Scientific Meeting, Lorne, Australia

Controlling the Transmission of International epidemic MRSA: Science for Public Health Action

Current Appointments

• Chair Public Health, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University
• Senior Clinical Scientist (Research and Teaching), Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases PathWest Laboratory Medicine – WA, Fiona Stanley Hospital Network
• President, Australian Society for Antimicrobials (ASA)
• Chair, Australian Group for Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR)
• Examiner, Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia: Faculty of Science, Microbiology
• President-Elect of the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC)
• Steering Committee Member of the Australian Antimicrobial Resistance Network
• Editorial Board Member (Section Editor) for the Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance
• Editorial Board Member (Section Editor) for the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents
• International Advisory Board Member for the International Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance
• International Advisory Board Member for the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents
• Member of the Australian NH&MRC Research Translation Faculty
• Member of the Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Infectious Diseases – Antibiotic Advisory Board
• Scientific Organising Committee Member:  22^nd Australian Society for Antimicrobials Annual Scientific Meeting “Antimicrobials 2021”, Brisbane, Australia 23 – 25 February 2023
• Scientific Organising Committee Member (Chair): International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections (ISSSI), Perth, Australia –18 – 24 August 2024
• Scientific Organising Committee Member (Chair): International Conference on Chemotherapy (ICC), Perth, Australia 27 – 30 November 2022
• Scientific Programme Committee member for the 2023 Australian Society for Microbiology Annual Scientific Meeting (Perth, Australia)
• Medical Testing Assessor for the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).
• Technical Expert for the International Accreditation of New Zealand (IANZ)
• Member of the Australian Society for Microbiology Clinical Microbiology Standing Committee
• Member of the Australian Society for Antimicrobials National Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Committee
• Member of the Royal College of Pathology of Australasia Quality Assurance Programme Advisory Committee
• Member of the Western Australian Department of Health Multi-Resistant Organism Expert Advisory Group
• Member of the PathWest Laboratory Medicine – WA, Fiona Stanley Hospital Department of Microbiology Management Committee
• Member of the PathWest Laboratory Medicine – WA Clinical and Scientific Governance Committee

PhD Murdoch University

The role of the MisRS two-component system in the pathogenesis of hyperinvasive Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W clonal complex 11 (Student: Nicolie McCluskey)

Investigation of antimicrobial resistant genes associated with human pathogens isolated at the Perth Zoological Park including the zoo’s environment, animal population and staff members (Student: Xinyang (Annie) Guo)

Molecular characterisation of atypical enterococcal sepsis (Student: Marhami Fahriani)

Investigating Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria Causing Significant Disease in Human Health in Australian Wildlife (Student: Xing Li)

 

Masters Murdoch University

Diversity of Phages in Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus Causing Sepsis in Australia (Student: Sophie Moienisam)

Investigating the genetic factor(s) responsible for daptomycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus from Australia (Student: Wan Chi Lim)

Honours Murdoch University

The molecular epidemiology of penicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in Australia and the reliability of diagnostic phenotypic susceptibility methods to detect penicillin susceptibility (Student: Wei Tek (Nicholas) Yee)

Molecular Characterisation of ST1232-V MRSA isolated in Western Australia (Student: Leen Albert)

Genomic epidemiology of Clonal Complex 5 MRSA Causing Sepsis in Australia (Student: Lisa Kitchner)

PhD Completions

Evolution and Epidemiology of E. faecium CC17 in Western Australian Hospitals. (Student: Terence Lee)

An Anti-virulence Target for Neisseria meningitidis: the Macrophage Infectivity Potentiator Protein (Mip) (Student: Emily Kibble)

Antimicrobial Resistance at the Human-animal Interface (Student:  Riley Murphy)

Epidemiology and Evolution of Neisseria gonorrhea in Western Australia (Student: Alsuwayyid Barakat Ali)

 

Book Chapters

Reducing Harm to Patients from Health Care Associated Infection: The Role of Surveillance. 

Part C Chapter 6: Multiresistant Organisms. Christiansen K, Coombs G, Ferguson J, Iredell J, Marshall C, Nimmo G, Turnidge J, Van Gessel H, Wilkinson I Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare. July 2008 ISBN 978-0-9803462-8-2  

PCR for Clinical Microbiology: An Australian and International Perspective 

Part VI Chapter 72: Susceptibility Screening PCR Assays in Detecting Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococci: Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CNS), S aureus, and MRSA with the PVL Gene. Merlino J, Kay ID, Coombs GW, Palladino S

Part VI Chapter 73: Detection of VRE: vanA and vanB by PCR. Merlino J, Kay ID, Coombs GW, Palladino S 

Peer Reviewed Journal Publications

2022

Molecular Epidemiology of Penicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia in Australia and Reliability of Diagnostic Phenotypic Susceptibility Methods to Detect Penicillin Susceptibility.Coombs GW, Yee NWT, Daley D, Bennett CM, Robinson JO, Stegger M, Shoby P, Mowlaboccus S.Microorganisms. 2022 Aug 15;10(8):1650. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10081650.PMID: 36014068 

Genomic characterisation of linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis from Western Australia 2016-2021. Mowlaboccus S, Daley DA, Coombs GW.Pathology. 2022 Aug 11:S0031-3025(22)00223-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pathol.2022.06.002. Online ahead of print.PMID: 36085088 

Molecular confirmation of Escherichia coli classified as fosfomycin-resistant by the revised EUCAST MIC breakpoint. Mowlaboccus S, Daley DA, Shoby P, Coombs GW. Pathology. 2022 May 4:S0031-3025(22)00125-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pathol.2022.01.011. Online ahead of print. PMID: 35525795

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Staphylococcus aureus Sepsis Outcome Programme (ASSOP) Annual Report 2020.Coombs GW, Daley DA, Yee NWT, Shoby P, Mowlaboccus S.Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2022 Apr 26;46. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2022.46.18.PMID: 35469556

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Enterococcal Sepsis Outcome Programme (AESOP) Annual Report 2020.Coombs GW, Daley DA, Yee NWT, Shoby P, Mowlaboccus S.Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2022 Apr 26;46. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2022.46.17.PMID: 35469555

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Gram-negative Sepsis Outcome Programme (GnSOP) Annual Report 2020. Bell JM, Lubian AF, Partridge SR, Gottlieb T, Iredell J, Daley DA, Coombs GW. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2022 Mar 28;46. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2022.46.11.PMID: 35382709

Genomic Characterisation of CC398 MRSA Causing Severe Disease in Australia.Coombs GW, Daley D, Shoby P, Yee NWT, Robinson JO, Murray R, Korman TM, Warner MS, Papanaoum K, Derrington P, Horvath R, Jenney A, Mowlaboccus S.Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2022 Mar 21:106577. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2022.106577. Online ahead of print.PMID: 35331908

Whole genome sequencing and molecular epidemiology of pediatric Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Campbell AJ, Mowlaboccus S, Coombs GW, Daley DA, Al Yazidi LS, Phuong LK, Leung C, Best EJ, Webb RH, Voss L, Athan E, Britton PN, Bryant PA, Butters CT, Carapetis JR, Ching NS, Francis J, Hung TY, Nourse C, Ojaimi S, Tai A, Vasilunas N, McMullan B, Bowen AC, Blyth CC; Australian and New Zealand Pediatric Infectious Diseases (ANZPID) clinical research network (CRN) of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases (ASID) and the Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR).J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 2022 Mar 24:S2213-7165(22)00064-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2022.03.012. Online ahead of print.PMID: 35342022

The changing molecular epidemiology of Enterococcus faecium harbouring the van operon at a teaching hospital in Western Australia: A fifteen-year retrospective study. Lee T, Pang S, Daley DA, Pearson JC, Abraham S, Coombs GW.Int J Med Microbiol. 2022 Jan;312(1):151546. Doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2021.151546. Epub 2021 Dec 14.PMID:34922099

Apophysomyces Variabilis Infection in Transplant Recipients due to Unrecognized Infection in an Intravenous Drug-Using Donor. Boan P, Pang S, Mowlaboccus S, Wrobel JP, Musk M, Lavender M, Yaw MC, Hernest A, MacQuillan G, Dembo LG, Coombs GW, Gardam DJ, Pereira LA, Robinson JO. Transplantation. 2022 Feb 1;106(2):e169-e171. Doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000003921.PMID: 35100230 

2021

Complete Genome Sequence of Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Sequence Type 1, SCCmec IV[2B], Isolated in the 1990s from Northern Western Australia. Karakatsanis NM, Mowlaboccus S, Colombi E, Pearson JC, Ramsay JP, Coombs GW. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2021 Sep 16;10(37): e0079621. Doi: 10.1128/MRA.00796-21. Epub 2021 Sep 16. PMID: 34528828

Complete Genome Sequences of Three of the Earliest Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated in Remote Western Australia. Karakatsanis NM, Colombi E, Mowlaboccus S, Pearson JC, Coombs GW, Ramsay JP. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2021 Sep 16;10(37): e0079721. doi: 10.1128/MRA.00797-21. Epub 2021 Sep 16. PMID: 3452882

A clinical and in vitro assessment of outpatient parenteral benzylpenicillin and ceftriaxone combination therapy for enterococcal endovascular infections. Ingram PR, Ng J, Mathieson C, Mowlaboccus S, Coombs G, Raby E, Dyer J.JAC Antimicrob Resist. 2021 Aug 7;3(3):dlab128. doi: 10.1093/jacamr/dlab128. eCollection 2021 Sep.PMID: 34377984 

Molecular characterization of fosfomycin-resistant Escherichia coli urinary tract infection isolates from Australia. Mowlaboccus S, Daley DA, Birdsall J, Gottlieb T, Merlino J, Nimmo GR, George N, Korman T, Streitberg R, Robson J, Peachey G, Collignon P, Bradbury S, Rogers BA, Coombs GW. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2021 May 3: S1198-743X(21)00217-2. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2021.04.029. Online ahead of print.PMID: 33957274

Pediatric Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: clinical spectrum and predictors of poor outcome. Campbell AJ, Al Yazidi LS, Phuong LK, Leung C, Best EJ, Webb RH, Voss L, Athan E, Britton PN, Bryant PA, Butters CT, Carapetis JR, Ching NS, Coombs GW, Daley D, Francis J, Hung TY, Mowlaboccus S, Nourse C, Ojaimi S, Tai A, Vasilunas N, McMullan B, Blyth CC, Bowen AC. Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Jun 5:ciab510. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab510. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34089594

Genome-wide association studies reveal candidate genes associated to bacteraemia caused by ST93-IV CA-MRSA.Pang S, Daley DA, Sahibzada S, Mowlaboccus S, Stegger M, Coombs GW.BMC Genomics. 2021 Jun 5;22(1):418. doi: 10.1186/s12864-021-07738-4.PMID: 34090342

Antimicrobial resistance in porcine enterococci in Australia and ramifications for human health Lee T, Jordan D, Sahibzada S, Abraham R, Pang S, Coombs GW, O’Dea M, Abraham S.Appl Environ Microbiol. 2021 Mar 12:AEM.03037-20. doi: 10.1128/AEM.03037-20. Online ahead of print.PMID: 33712430

2020

Global epidemiology and evolutionary history of Staphylococcus aureus ST45. Effelsberg N, Stegger M, Peitzmann L, Altinok O, Coombs GW, Pichon B, Kearns A, Randad PR, Heaney CD, Bletz S, Schaumburg F, Mellmann A.J Clin Microbiol. 2020 Oct 21:JCM.02198-20. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02198-20. Online ahead of print.PMID: 33087430

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Gram-negative Sepsis Outcome Programme (GNSOP) Annual Report 2019. Bell JM, Lubian AF, Partridge S, Gottlieb T, Iredell J, Daley DA, Coombs GW.Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2020 Oct 15;44. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2020.44.80.PMID: 33081652

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Gram-negative Sepsis Outcome Programme (GNSOP) Annual Report 2018. Bell JM, Gottlieb T, Daley DA, Coombs GW.Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2020 Oct 15;44. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2020.44.79.PMID: 33081651

Antimicrobial resistance and genomic insights into bovine mastitis-associated Staphylococcus aureus in Australia. O’Dea M, Abraham RJ, Sahibzada S, Lee T, Jordan D, Laird T, Pang S, Buller N, Stegger M, Coombs GW, Trott DJ, Abraham S.Vet Microbiol. 2020 Sep 21;250:108850. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2020.108850. Online ahead of print.PMID: 33011663

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Enterococcal Sepsis Outcome Programme (AESOP) Annual Report 2019. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Mowlaboccus S, Pang S; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2020 Sep 15;44. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2020.44.72.PMID: 32988338

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Staphylococcus aureus Sepsis Outcome Programme (ASSOP) Annual Report 2019. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Mowlaboccus S, Pang S; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2020 Sep 15;44. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2020.44.71.PMID: 32988337

Advocacy for Increased International Efforts for Antimicrobial Stewardship Actions in Low-and Middle-Income Countries on Behalf of Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antimicrobials (APUA), Under the Auspices of the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC). Tattevin P, Levy Hara G, Toumi A, Enani M, Coombs G, Voss A, Wertheim H, Poda A, Daoud Z, Laxminarayan R, Nathwani D, Gould I.Front Med (Lausanne). 2020 Aug 25;7:503. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.00503. eCollection 2020.PMID: 32984380

Identification and Characterisation of Fosfomycin Resistance in Escherichia coli Urinary Tract Infection Isolates from Australia. Mowlaboccus S, Daley D, Pang S, Gottlieb T, Merlino J, Nimmo GR, George N, Korman TM, Streitberg R, Robson J, Peachey G, Collignon P, Bradbury S, Colombi E, Ramsay JP, Rogers BA, Coombs GW.Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2020 Jul 30:106121. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2020.106121. PMID: 32739475

Publishing in face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Voss A, Coombs G, Unal S, Saginur R, Hsueh PR.Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2020 Jul 10:106081. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2020.106081. Online ahead of print.PMID: 32674930

Evaluation of the Haemophilus influenzae EUCAST and CLSI disc diffusion methods to recognize aminopenicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanate resistance. Fernando SA, Pang S, McKew GL, Phan T, Merlino J, Coombs GW, Gottlieb T.J Antimicrob Chemother. 2020 Jun 25:dkaa229. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkaa229. Online ahead of print .PMID: 32585694

Investigation of a Lomentospora prolificans case cluster with whole genome sequencing. Boan P, Pang S, Gardam DJ, Darragh H, Wright M, Coombs GW. Med Mycol Case Rep. 2020 May 19;29:1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.mmcr.2020.05.003. eCollection 2020 Sep.PMID: 32477857 

Marked increase in community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections, Western Australia, 2004-2018. Bloomfield LE, Coombs GW, Tempone S, Armstrong PK. Epidemiol Infect. 2020 Apr 23:1-19. doi: 10.1017/S0950268820000849. [Epub ahead of print] No abstract available. PMID:32321605 

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Staphylococcus aureus Sepsis Outcome Programme (ASSOP) Annual Report 2018. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Mowlaboccus S, Lee YT, Pang S; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2020 Mar 16;44. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2020.44.18. PMID: 32178604

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Enterococcal Sepsis Outcome Programme (AESOP) Annual Report 2018. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Mowlaboccus S, Lee YT, Pang S; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2020 Mar 16;44. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2020.44.19. PMID: 32178603

Progress towards a coordinated, national paediatric antimicrobial resistance surveillance programme: Staphylococcus aureus, enterococcal and Gram-negative bacteraemia in Australia. Campbell AJ, Daley DA, Bell JM, Pang S, Coombs GW, Carapetis JR, Bowen AC, Blyth CC. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2020 Mar 10. pii: dkaa065. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkaa065. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 32155261

A three-year whole genome sequencing perspective of Enterococcus faecium sepsis in Australia. Lee T, Pang S, Stegger M, Sahibzada S, Abraham S, Daley D, Coombs G; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. PLoS One. 2020 Feb 14;15(2):e0228781. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228781. eCollection 2020. PMID: 32059020 

Diversity of bacteriophages encoding Panton-Valentine leukocidin in temporally and geographically related Staphylococcus aureus. Coombs GW, Baines SL, Howden BP, Swenson KM, O’Brien FG. PLoS One. 2020 Feb 10;15(2):e0228676. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228676. eCollection 2020. PMID: 32040487 

Meningococcal Disease Associated prophage-like elements are present in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and some commensal Neisseria species. Al Suwayyid BA, Rankine-Wilson L, Speers DJ, Wise MJ, Coombs GW, Kahler CM. Genome Biol Evol. 2020 Feb 7. pii: evaa023. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evaa023. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 32031617 

A multicentre outbreak of ST45 MRSA containing deletions in the spa gene in New South Wales, Australia. Beukers AG, Newton P, Hudson B, Ross K, Gottlieb T, O’Sullivan M, Daley DA, Pang S, Coombs GW, van Hal SJ. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2020 Feb 4. pii: dkz560. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkz560. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 32016400

2019

Evolution and Global Transmission of a Multidrug-Resistant, Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Lineage from the Indian Subcontinent.  Steinig EJ, Duchene S, Robinson DA, Monecke S, Yokoyama M, Laabei M, Slickers P, Andersson P, Williamson D, Kearns A, Goering RV, Dickson E, Ehricht R, Ip M, O’Sullivan MVN, Coombs GW, Petersen A, Brennan G, Shore AC, Coleman DC, Pantosti A, de Lencastre H, Westh H, Kobayashi N, Heffernan H, Strommenger B, Layer F, Weber S, Aamot HV, Skakni L, Peacock SJ, Sarovich D, Harris S, Parkhill J, Massey RC, Holden MTG, Bentley SD, Tong SYC. MBio. 2019 Nov 26;10(6). pii: e01105-19. doi: 10.1128/mBio.01105-19. PMID: 31772058

Linezolid-resistant ST872 Enteroccocus faecium harbouring optrA and cfr (D) oxazolidinone resistance genes. Pang S, Boan P, Lee T, Gangatharan S, Tan SJ, Daley D, Lee YT, Coombs GW. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2019 Oct 26. pii: S0924-8579(19)30292-4. doi:  10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2019.10.012. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31669743

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Staphylococcus aureus Sepsis Outcome Programme (ASSOP) Annual Report 2017. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Lee YT, Pang S. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2019 Sep 16;43. doi: 0.33321/cdi.2019.43.43. PMID: 31522665

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Enterococcal Sepsis Outcome Programme (AESOP) Annual Report 2017. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Lee YT, Pang S. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2019 Sep 16;43. doi:10.33321/cdi.2019.43.42. PMID: 31522664  

Evolution of a 72-kb cointegrant, conjugative multiresistance plasmid from early community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates.  Yui Eto K, Firth N, Davis AM, Kwong SM, Krysiak M, Lee YT, O’Brien FG, Grubb WB, Coombs GW, Bond CS, Ramsay JP. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2019 Sep 9. pii: AAC.01560-19. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01560-19. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31501140

Multiple introductions of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST612 into Western Australia associated with both human and equine reservoirs.  Murphy RJ, Ramsay JP, Lee YT, Pang S, O’Dea MA, Pearson JC, Axon JE, Raby E, Abdulgader SM, Whitelaw A, Coombs GW. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2019 Aug 31. pii: S0924-8579(19)30240-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2019.08.022. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31479739

Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim resistance overcall by VITEK® 2 and BD Phoenix™ in community-associated MRSA and MSSA. Coombs GW, Mowlaboccus S, Daley D, Lee T, Pearson J, Pang S, Robinson JO. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2019 Aug 20. pii: dkz361. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkz361. [Epub ahead of print] No abstract available PMID: 31430376

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Gram-negative Sepsis Outcome Programme (GNSOP) Annual Report 2017. Bell JM, Gottlieb T, Daley DA, Coombs GW. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2019 Aug 15;43. doi: 10.33321/cdi.2019.43.37. PMID: 31426735

A nonclonal outbreak of vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus faecalis bacteremia in a neonatal intensive care unit. Kotsanas D, Tan K, Scott C, Baade B, Cheng MHL, Tan ZV, Taylor JE, Kwong JC, Seemann T, Coombs GW, Howden BP, Stuart RL. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2019 Aug 5:1-7. doi: 10.1017/ice.2019.202. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31379308

Peptidyl-prolyl isomerase, ppiB, is essential for proteome homeostasis and virulence in Burkholderia pseudomallei. Bzdyl NM, Scott NE, Norville IH, Scott AE, Atkins T, Pang S, Sarovich DS, Coombs G, Inglis TJJ, Kahler CM, Sarkar-Tyson M. Infect Immun. 2019 Jul 22. pii: IAI.00528-19. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00528-19. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31331957

The Detroit 562 Pharyngeal Immortalized Cell Line Model for the Assessment of Infectivity of Pathogenic Neisseria sp. Kibble EA, Sarkar-Tyson M, Coombs GW, Kahler CM. Methods Mol Biol. 2019;1969:123-133. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9202-7_9. PMID: 30877674

Genomic, antimicrobial resistance and public health insights into Enterococcus spp. from Australian chickens. O’Dea M, Sahibzada S, Jordan D, Laird T, Lee T, Hewson K, Pang S, Abraham R, Coombs GW, Harris T, Pavic A, Abraham S. J Clin Microbiol. 2019 May 22. pii: JCM.00319-19. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00319-19. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31118269

Genomic and Epidemiological Evidence of a Dominant Panton-Valentine Leucocidin-Positive Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Lineage in Sri Lanka and Presence Among Isolates From the United Kingdom and Australia. McTavish SM, Snow SJ, Cook EC, Pichon B, Coleman S, Coombs GW, Pang S, Arias CA, Díaz L, Boldock E, Davies S, Udukala M, Kearns AM, Siribaddana S, de Silva TI. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2019 Apr 26;9:123. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00123. eCollection 2019. PMID: 31080781

Molecular characterization and evolution of the first outbreak of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium in Western Australia. Lee T, Pang S, Abraham S, Coombs GW. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2019 Mar 6. pii: S0924-8579(19)30039-1. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2019.02.009. [Epub ahead of print] PMID:  30851404

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Staphylococcus aureus Sepsis Outcome Programme (ASSOP) Annual Report 2015. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Lee YT, Pang S, Bell JM, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2018;42. pii: S2209-6051(18)00016-7. Epub 2018 Dec 17. PMID: 30632361

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Gram-negative Sepsis Outcome Programme(GNSOP) Annual Report 2015. Bell JM, Gottlieb T, Daley DA, Coombs GW; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2018;42. pii: S2209-6051(18)00017-9. Epub 2018 Dec 17. PMID: 30632360

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Enterococcal Sepsis Outcome Programme (AESOP) Annual Report 2016. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Lee YT, Pang S; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2018;42. pii: S2209-6051(18)00020-9. Epub 2018 Dec 17. PMID: 30632359

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Enterococcal Sepsis Outcome Programme(AESOP) Annual Report 2015. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Lee YT, Pang S, Bell JM, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2018;42. pii: S2209-6051(18)00015-5. Epub 2018 Dec 17. PMID: 30626305

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Staphylococcus aureus Sepsis Outcome Programme (ASSOP) Annual Report 2016. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Lee YT, Pang S; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2018;42. pii: S2209-6051(18)00021-0. Epub 2018 Dec 17. PMID: 30626304

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Gram-negative Sepsis Outcome Programme (GNSOP) Annual Report 2016. Bell JM, Gottlieb T, Daley DA, Coombs GW. Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2018;42. pii: S2209-6051(18)00022-2. Epub 2018 Dec 17. PMID: 30626303

Candida auris Sternal Osteomyelitis in a Man from Kenya Visiting Australia, 2015. Heath CH, Dyer JR, Pang S, Coombs GW, Gardam DJ. Emerg Infect Dis. 2019 Jan;25(1):192-194. doi: 10.3201/eid2501.181321. PMID: 30561310

Severe Disease Caused by Community-Associated MRSA ST398 Type V, Australia, 2017. Coombs GW, Pang S, Daley DA, Lee YT, Abraham S, Leroi M. Emerg Infect Dis. 2019 Jan;25(1):190-192. doi: 10.3201/eid2501.181136. PMID: 30561308

2018

Complete Genome Sequence of a Staphylococcus aureus Sequence Type 612 Isolate from an Australian Horse. Murphy RJT, Lee YT, Pang S, Bastholm TR, Crow JE, Davis AM, Coombs GW, O’Dea MA, Abraham S, Ramsay JP. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2018 Aug 2;7(4). pii: e00869-18. doi: 10.1128/MRA.00869-18. eCollection 2018 Aug. PMID: 30533881

Characterization of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec Elements from Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Infections in Australian Animals. Worthing KA, Schwendener S, Perreten V, Saputra S, Coombs GW, Pang S, Davies MR, Abraham S, Trott DJ, Norris JM. mSphere. 2018 Nov 7;3(6). pii: e00491-18. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00491-18. PMID: 30404937

Antimicrobial Resistant CC17 Enterococcus faecium: The Past, the Present and the Future. Lee T, Pang S, Abraham S, Coombs GW. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 2018 Aug 24. pii: S2213-7165(18)30163-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2018.08.016. [Epub ahead of print] Review. PMID: 30149193

Molecular Typing of ST239-MRSA-III From Diverse Geographic Locations and the Evolution of the SCCmec III Element During Its Intercontinental Spread. Monecke S, Slickers P, Gawlik D, Müller E, Reissig A, Ruppelt-Lorz A, Akpaka PE, Bandt D, Bes M, Boswihi SS, Coleman DC, Coombs GW, Dorneanu OS, Gostev VV, Ip M, Jamil B, Jatzwauk L, Narvaez M, Roberts R, Senok A, Shore AC, Sidorenko SV, Skakni L, Somily AM, Syed MA, Thürmer A, Udo EE, Vremerǎ T, Zurita J, Ehricht R. Front Microbiol. 2018 Jul 6;9:1436. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01436. eCollection 2018. PMID: 30087657

Characterisation of Staphylococcus felis isolated from cats using whole genome sequencing. Worthing K, Pang S, Trott DJ, Abraham S, Coombs GW, Jordan D, McIntyre L, Davies MR, Norris J. Vet Microbiol. 2018 Aug;222:98-104. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.07.002. Epub 2018 Jul 6. PMID: 30080680

Increasing tolerance of hospital Enterococcus faecium to handwash alcohols. Pidot SJ, Gao W, Buultjens AH, Monk IR, Guerillot R, Carter GP, Lee JYH, Lam MMC, Grayson ML, Ballard SA, Mahony AA, Grabsch EA, Kotsanas D, Korman TM, Coombs GW, Robinson JO, Gonçalves da Silva A, Seemann T, Howden BP, Johnson PDR, Stinear TP. Sci Transl Med. 2018 Aug 1;10(452). pii: eaar6115. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aar6115. PMID: 30068573

Global Scale Dissemination of ST93: A Divergent Staphylococcus aureus Epidemic Lineage That Has Recently Emerged From Remote Northern Australia. van Hal SJ, Steinig EJ, Andersson P, Holden MTG, Harris SR, Nimmo GR, Williamson DA, Heffernan H, Ritchie SR, Kearns AM, Ellington MJ, Dickson E, de Lencastre H, Coombs GW, Bentley SD, Parkhill J, Holt DC, Giffard PM, Tong SYC. Front Microbiol. 2018 Jul 9;9:1453. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01453. eCollection 2018. PMID: 30038600

Carriage of critically important antimicrobial resistant bacteria and zoonotic parasites amongst camp dogs in remote Western Australian indigenous communities. Rusdi B, Laird T, Abraham R, Ash A, Robertson ID, Mukerji S, Coombs GW, Abraham S, O’Dea MA. Sci Rep. 2018 Jun 7;8(1):8725. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-26920-5. PMID: 2988079

Misidentification of S. aureus by the Cepheid Xpert® MRSA/SA BC Assay due to Deletions in the spa Gene. Lee GH, Pang S, Coombs GW. J Clin Microbiol. 2018 May 9. pii: JCM.00530-18. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00530-18. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29743311

Molecular Characterization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Australian Animals and Veterinarians. Worthing, Kate A; Abraham, Sam; Pang, Stanley; Coombs, Geoffrey W; Saputra, Sugiyono; Jordan, David; Wong, Hui S,; Abraham Rebecca, J; Trott, Darren J; Norris, Jacqueline Ml. Microbial drug resistance (Larchmont, N.Y.)  Volume: 24Issue: 2   Pages: 203-212   Published: 2018-Mar (Epub 2017 Jun 09)

Genomic characterization of coagulase-negative staphylococci including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus sciuri causing bovine mastitis. Khazandi M, Al-Farha AA, Coombs GW, O’Dea M, Pang S, Trott DJ, Aviles RR, Hemmatzadeh F, Venter H, Ogunniyi AD, Hoare A, Abraham S, Petrovski KR. Vet Microbiol. 2018 Jun;219:17-22. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.04.004. Epub 2018 Apr 5. PMID: 29778192

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium sequence type 796 – rapid international dissemination of a new epidemic clone. Mahony AA, Buultjens AH, Ballard SA, Grabsch EA, Xie S, Seemann T, Stuart RL, Kotsanas D, Cheng A, Heffernan H, Roberts SA, Coombs GW, Bak N, Ferguson JK, Carter GC, Howden BP, Stinear TP, Johnson PDR. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 2018 Mar 22;7:44. doi: 10.1186/s13756-018-0335-z. eCollection 2018. PMID: 29588851

Genomic epidemiology and population structure of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from remote highly endemic Western Australian populations. Al Suwayyid BA, Coombs GW, Speers DJ, Pearson J, Wise MJ, Kahler CM. BMC Genomics. 2018 Feb 27;19(1):165. doi: 10.1186/s12864-018-4557-5. PMID: 29482499

Range Expansion and the Origin of USA300 North American Epidemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Challagundla L, Luo X, Tickler IA, Didelot X, Coleman DC, Shore AC, Coombs GW, Sordelli DO, Brown EL, Skov R, Larsen AR, Reyes J, Robledo IE, Vazquez GJ, Rivera R, Fey PD, Stevenson K, Wang SH, Kreiswirth BN, Mediavilla JR, Arias CA, Planet PJ, Nolan RL, Tenover FC, Goering RV, Robinson DA. MBio. 2018 Jan 2;9(1). pii: e02016-17. doi: 10.1128/mBio.02016-17. PMID: 29295910

2017

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Papua New Guinea: a community nasal colonization prevalence study. Laman M, Greenhill A, Coombs GW, Robinson O, Pearson J, Davis TME, Manning L. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2017 Dec 11. doi: 10.1093/trstmh/trx061. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29237065

Panton-valentine leucocidin (PVL) Staphylococcus aureus a position statement from the international society of chemotherapy.  Saeed K, Gould I, Espositio S, Ahmad-Saeed N, Ahmed SS, Alp E, Bal AM, Bassetti M, Bonnet E, Chan M, Coombs G, Dancer S, David MZ, De Simone G, Dryden M, Guardabassi L, Hanitsch LG, Hijazi K, Krüger R, Lee A, Leistner R, Pagliano P, Righi E, Schneider-Burrus S, Skov RL, Tattevin P, Van Wamel W, Vos MC, Voss A; International Society of Chemotherapy. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2017 Nov 21. pii: S0924-8579(17)30394-1. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2017.11.002. [Epub ahead of print] No abstract available. PMID: 29174420

Origin, evolution, and global transmission of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus ST8. Strauß L, Stegger M, Akpaka PE, Alabi A, Breurec S, Coombs G, Egyir B, Larsen AR, Laurent F, Monecke S, Peters G, Skov R, Strommenger B, Vandenesch F, Schaumburg F, Mellmann A. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Nov 20. pii: 201702472. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1702472114. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29158405

Clonal diversity and geographic distribution of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius from Australian animals: Discovery of novel sequence types. Worthing KA, Abraham S, Coombs GW, Pang S, Saputra S, Jordan D, Trott DJ, Norris JM. Vet Microbiol. 2018 Jan;213:58-65. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2017.11.018. Epub 2017 Nov 21. PMID: 29292005

Admissions for antibiotic-resistant infections in cancer patients during first year of cancer diagnosis: a cross-sectional study.  Slavova-Azmanova N, Haddow L, Hohnen H, Coombs G, Robinson JO, Ives A. Intern Med J. 2017 Nov;47(11):1306-1310. doi: 10.1111/imj.13609. PMID: 29105268 

Evaluation of robenidine analog NCL195 as a novel broad-spectrum antibacterial agent. Ogunniyi AD, Khazandi M, Stevens AJ, Sims SK, Page SW, Garg S, Venter H, Powell A, White K, Petrovski KR, Laven-Law G, Tótoli EG, Salgado HR, Pi H, Coombs GW, Shinabarger DL, Turnidge JD, Paton JC, McCluskey A, Trott DJ. PLoS One. 2017 Sep 5;12(9):e0183457. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183457. eCollection 2017. PMID: 28873428

Genomic epidemiology of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus across colonisation and skin and soft tissue infection.  Grinberg A, Biggs PJ, Zhang J, Ritchie S, Oneroa Z, O’Neil C, Karkaba A, Velathanthiri NS, Coombs GW. J Infect. 2017 Aug 3. pii: S0163-4453(17)30256-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2017.07.010. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 28782565

Transmission of highly virulent community-associated MRSA ST93 and livestock-associated MRSA ST398 between humans and pigs in Australia Sahibzada S, Abraham S, Coombs GW, Pang S, Hernández-Jover M, Jordan D, Heller J. Sci Rep. 2017 Jul 13;7(1):5273. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-04789-0. PMID: 28706213  

Clonal Expansion of New Penicillin-Resistant Clade of Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup W Clonal Complex 11, Australia. Mowlaboccus S, Jolley KA, Bray JE, Pang S, Lee YT, Bew JD, Speers DJ, Keil AD, Coombs GW, Kahler CM. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Aug;23(8):1364-1367. doi: 10.3201/eid2308.170259. Epub 2017 Aug 15. PMID: 28609259

Molecular Characterization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Australian Animals and Veterinarians. Worthing KA, Abraham S, Pang S, Coombs GW, Saputra S, Jordan D, Wong HS, Abraham RJ, Trott DJ, Norris JM. Microb Drug Resist. 2017 Jun 9. doi: 10.1089/mdr.2017.0032. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 28598251

Reverse zoonotic transmission of community-associated MRSA ST1-IV to a dairy cow. Abraham S, Jagoe S, Pang S, Coombs GW, O’Dea M, Kelly J, Khazandi M, Petrovski KR, Trott DJ. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2017 May 11. pii: S0924-8579(17)30149-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2017.05.001. [Epub ahead of print] No abstract available. PMID: 28502696

Epidemiology and trends in the antibiotic susceptibilities of Gram-negative bacilli isolated from patients with intra-abdominal infections in the Asia-Pacific region, 2010-2013. Chang YT, Coombs G, Ling T, Balaji V, Rodrigues C, Mikamo H, Kim MJ, Rajasekaram DG, Mendoza M, Tan TY, Kiratisin P, Ni Y, Barry W, Xu Y, Chen YH, Hsueh PR. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2017 Apr 20. pii: S0924-8579(17)30121-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2017.01.030. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 28435019

Evolutionary origins of the emergent ST796 clone of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium. Buultjens AH, Lam MM, Ballard S, Monk IR, Mahony AA, Grabsch EA, Grayson ML, Pang S, Coombs GW, Robinson JO, Seemann T, Johnson PD, Howden BP, Stinear TP. PeerJ. 2017 Jan 24;5:e2916. doi: 10.7717/peerj.2916. PMID: 28149688

Distribution of ESBLs, AmpC β-lactamases and carbapenemases among Enterobacteriaceae isolates causing intra-abdominal and urinary tract infections in the Asia-Pacific region during 2008-14: results from the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART). Jean SS, Hsueh PR; SMART Asia-Pacific Group. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2017 Jan;72(1):166-171. PMID: 27703058

Polyclonal emergence of vanA vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in Australia. van Hal SJ, Espedido BA, Coombs GW, Howden BP, Korman TM, Nimmo GR, Gosbell IB, Jensen SO. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2017 Apr 1;72(4):998-1001. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkw539. PMID: 28031272

2016

Polyclonal emergence of vanA vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in Australia. van Hal SJ, Espedido BA, Coombs GW, Howden BP, Korman TM, Nimmo GR, Gosbell IB, Jensen SO. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2016 Dec 28. pii: dkw539. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkw539. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 28031272

Mycobacterium chimaera colonisation of heater-cooler units (HCU) in Western Australia, 2015: investigation of possible iatrogenic infection using whole genome sequencing. Robinson JO, Coombs GW, Speers DJ, Keehner T, Keil AD, D’Abrera V, Boan P, Pang S. Euro Surveill. 2016 Nov 17;21(46). pii: 30396. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2016.21.46.30396. PMID: 27918263

Distribution of ESBLs, AmpC β-lactamases and carbapenemases among Enterobacteriaceae isolates causing intra-abdominal and urinary tract infections in the Asia-Pacific region during 2008-14: results from the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART). Jean SS, Hsueh PR; SMART Asia-Pacific Group. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2017 Jan;72(1):166-171. PMID: 27703058

An updated view of plasmid conjugation and mobilization in Staphylococcus. Ramsay JP, Kwong SM, Murphy RJ, Yui Eto K, Price KJ, Nguyen QT, O’Brien FG, Grubb WB, Coombs GW, Firth N. Mob Genet Elements. 2016 Jul 1;6(4):e1208317. doi: 10.1080/2159256X.2016.1208317. PMID: 27583185 

Characterization of a novel staphylococcal cassette chromosome composite island from community-associated MRSA isolated in aged care facilities in Western Australia. Wilson LK, Coombs GW, Christiansen K, Grubb WB, O’Brien FG. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2016 Dec;71(12):3372-3375. PMID: 27566311

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance Australian Enterobacteriaceae Sepsis Outcome Programme annual report, 2014. Bell JM, Turnidge JD, Coombs GW, Daley DA, Gottlieb T, Robson J, George N. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2016 Jun 30;40(2):E229-35. PMID: 27522134 

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance Australian Enterococcal Sepsis Outcome Programme annual report, 2014. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Thin Lee Y, Pang S, Pearson JC, Robinson JO, Johnson PD, Kotsanas D, Bell JM, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2016 Jun 30;40(2):E236-43. PMID: 27522135 

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance Australian Staphylococcus aureus Sepsis Outcome Programme annual report, 2014. Coombs GW, Daley DA, Thin Lee Y, Pearson JC, Robinson JO, Nimmo GR, Collignon P, Howden BP, Bell JM, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2016 Jun 30;40(2):E244-54. PMID: 27522136 

Identification of source and sink populations for the emergence and global spread of the East-Asia clone of community-associated MRSA. Ward MJ, Goncheva M, Richardson E, McAdam PR, Raftis E, Kearns A, Daum RS, David MZ, Lauderdale TL, Edwards GF, Nimmo GR, Coombs GW, Huijsdens X, Woolhouse ME, Fitzgerald JR. Genome Biol. 2016 Jul 26;17(1):160. doi: 10.1186/s13059-016-1022-0. PMID: 27459968

Genomic insights into the emergence and spread of international clones of healthcare-, community- and livestock-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Blurring of the traditional definitions. Bal AM, Coombs GW, Holden MT, Lindsay JA, Nimmo GR, Tattevin P, Skov RL. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 2016 Sep;6:95-101. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2016.04.004. Review. PMID: 27530849

A Prescription for Resistance: Management of Staphylococcal Skin Abscesses by General Practitioners in Australia. Parrott C, Wood G, Bogatyreva E, Coombs GW, Johnson PD, Bennett CM. Front Microbiol. 2016 Jun 6;7:802. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00802. PMID: 27375560 

Isolation of mecC MRSA in Australia. Worthing KA, Coombs GW, Pang S, Abraham S, Saputra S, Trott DJ, Jordan D, Wong HS, Abraham RJ, Norris JM. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2016 Aug;71(8):2348-9. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkw138. No abstract available. PMID: 27118772

Epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of pathogens causing urinary tract infections in the Asia-Pacific region: Results from the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART), 2010-2013. Jean SS, Coombs G, Ling T, Balaji V, Rodrigues C, Mikamo H, Kim MJ, Rajasekaram DG, Mendoza M, Tan TY, Kiratisin P, Ni Y, Weinman B, Xu Y, Hsueh PR. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2016 Apr;47(4):328-34. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2016.01.008. PMID: 27005459

First report of a mecA-positive multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolated from a dog in New Zealand. Bell AG, Coombs GW, Cater B, Douglass C. N Z Vet J. 2016 Jul;64(4):253-6. doi: 10.1080/00480169.2016.1146171. PMID: 26850500

Differing epidemiology of two major healthcare-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones. Jeremiah CJ, Kandiah JP, Spelman DW, Giffard PM, Coombs GW, Jenney AW, Tong SY. J Hosp Infect. 2016 Feb;92(2):183-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2015.10.023. PMID: 26778134

Molecular Epidemiology of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Australian Veterinarians. Groves MD, Crouch B, Coombs GW, Jordan D, Pang S, Barton MD, Giffard P, Abraham S, Trott DJ. PLoS One. 2016 Jan 6;11(1):e0146034. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146034. PMID: 26735694

Combination of Vancomycin and β-Lactam Therapy for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia: A Pilot Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. Davis JS, Sud A, O’Sullivan MV, Robinson JO, Ferguson PE, Foo H, van Hal SJ, Ralph AP, Howden BP, Binks PM, Kirby A, Tong SY; Combination Antibiotics for MEthicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CAMERA) study group.; Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Network. Clin Infect Dis. 2016 Jan 15;62(2):173-80. doi: 10.1093/cid/civ808. PMID: 26349552

2015

A clonal complex 12 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain, West Australian MRSA-59, harbors a novel pseudo-SCCmec element. Monecke S, Coombs GW, Pearson J, Hotzel H, Slickers P, Ehricht R. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Nov;59(11):7142-4. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01745-15. PMID: 26349822 

Origin-of-transfer sequences facilitate mobilisation of non-conjugative antimicrobial-resistance plasmids in Staphylococcus aureus. O’Brien FG, Yui Eto K, Murphy RJ, Fairhurst HM, Coombs GW, Grubb WB, Ramsay JP. Nucleic Acids Res. 2015 Sep 18;43(16):7971-83. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkv755. PMID: 26243776 

Convergent adaptation in the dominant global hospital clone ST239 of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Baines SL, Holt KE, Schultz MB, Seemann T, Howden BO, Jensen SO, van Hal SJ, Coombs GW, Firth N, Powell DR, Stinear TP, Howden BP. MBio. 2015 Mar 3;6(2):e00080. doi: 10.1128/mBio.00080-15. PMID: 25736880 

ST2249-MRSA-III: a second major recombinant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone causing healthcare infection in the 1970s. Nimmo GR, Steen JA, Monecke S, Ehricht R, Slickers P, Thomas JC, Appleton S, Goering RV, Robinson DA, Coombs GW. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2015 May;21(5):444-50. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2014.12.018. PMID: 25708549 

Epidemiological, clinical, outcome and antibiotic susceptibility differences between PVL positive and PVL negative Staphylococcus aureus infections in Western Australia: a case control study. Boan P, Tan HL, Pearson J, Coombs G, Heath CH, Robinson JO. BMC Infect Dis. 2015 Jan 9;15:10. doi: 10.1186/s12879-014-0742-6. PMID: 25572896 

Staphylococcus aureus plasmids without mobilization genes are mobilized by a novel conjugative plasmid from community isolates. O’Brien FG, Ramsay JP, Monecke S, Coombs GW, Robinson OJ, Htet Z, Alshaikh FA, Grubb WB. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2015 Mar;70(3):649-52. doi: 10.1093/jac/dku454. PMID: 25411186 

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus transmission in households of infected cases: a pooled analysis of primary data from three studies across international settings. Knox J, Van Rijen M, Uhlemann AC, Miller M, Hafer C, Vavagiakis P, Shi Q, Johnson PD, Coombs G, Kluytmans-Van Den Bergh M, Kluytmans J, Bennett CM, Lowy FD. Epidemiol Infect. 2015 Jan;143(2):354-65. doi: 10.1017/S0950268814000983. PMID: 24763185

2014  

Enterobacteriaceae Sepsis Outcome Programme annual report, 2013. Turnidge JD, Gottlieb T, Mitchell DH, Coombs GW, Daly DA, Bell JM; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2014 Dec 31;38(4):E327-33. PMID: 25631595 

Australian Enterococcal Sepsis Outcome Programme annual report, 2013. Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Daly DA, Le TT, Robinson JO, Gottlieb T, Howden BP, Johnson PD, Bennett CM, Stinear TP, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2014 Dec 31;38(4):E320-6. PMID: 25631594 

Australian Staphylococcus aureus Sepsis Outcome Programme annual report, 2013. Coombs GW, Nimmo GR, Daly DA, Le TT, Pearson JC, Tan HL, Robinson JO, Collignon PJ, McLaws ML, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2014 Dec 31;38(4):E309-19. PMID: 25631593

Australian Enterococcal Sepsis Outcome Progamme, 2011. Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Le T, Daly DA, Robinson JO, Gottlieb T, Howden BP, Johnson PD, Bennett CM, Stinear TP, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.  Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2014 Sep 30;38(3):E247-52. PMID: 25391408 

Preventing the introduction of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus into hospitals. Larsen J, David MZ, Vos MC, Coombs GW, Grundmann H, Harbarth S, Voss A, Skov RL. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 2014 Dec;2(4):260-268. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2014.09.003. Review. PMID: 27873685

Cousins, siblings, or copies: the genomics of recurrent Staphylococcus aureus infections in chronic rhinosinusitis. Drilling A, Coombs GW, Tan HL, Pearson JC, Boase S, Psaltis A, Speck P, Vreugde S, Wormald PJ. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2014 Dec;4(12):953-60. doi: 10.1002/alr.21423. PMID: 25271410

Genetic and molecular predictors of high vancomycin MIC in Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia isolates. Holmes NE, Turnidge JD, Munckhof WJ, Robinson JO, Korman TM, O’Sullivan MV, Anderson TL, Roberts SA, Warren SJ, Coombs GW, Tan HL, Gao W, Johnson PD, Howden BP. J Clin Microbiol. 2014 Sep;52(9):3384-93. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01320-14. PMID: 25031442

Characterization of meticillin-resistant and meticillin-susceptible isolates of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius from cases of canine pyoderma in Australia. Siak M, Burrows AK, Coombs GW, Khazandi M, Abraham S, Norris JM, Weese JS, Trott DJ. J Med Microbiol. 2014 Sep;63(Pt 9):1228-33. doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.076117-0. PMID: 24994658

Hospital-onset Gram-negative Surveillance Program annual report, 2011. Turnidge JD, Gottlieb T, Mitchell DH, Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Bell JM; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.  Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2014 Mar 31;38(1):E49-53. PMID: 25409355 

Community-onset Gram-negative Surveillance Program annual report, 2012. Turnidge JD, Gottlieb T, Mitchell DH, Coombs GW, Daly DA, Bell JM; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.  Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2014 Mar 31;38(1):E54-8. PMID: 25409356  

Community-onset Staphylococcus aureus Surveillance Programme annual report, 2012. Coombs GW, Daly DA, Pearson JC, Nimmo GR, Collignon PJ, McLaws ML, Robinson JO, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2014 Mar 31;38(1):E59-69. PMID: 25409357 

Staphylococcus aureus ‘Down Under’: contemporary epidemiology of S. aureus in Australia, New Zealand, and the South West Pacific. Williamson DA, Coombs GW, Nimmo GR. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2014 Jul;20(7):597-604. doi: 10.1111/1469-0691.12702. Review. PMID: 24891110 

Low vancomycin MICs and fecal densities reduce the sensitivity of screening methods for vancomycin resistance in Enterococci. Wijesuriya TM, Perry P, Pryce T, Boehm J, Kay I, Flexman J, Coombs GW, Ingram PR. J Clin Microbiol. 2014 Aug;52(8):2829-33. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00021-14. PMID: 24871216

Increased EMRSA-15 health-care worker colonization demonstrated in retrospective review of EMRSA hospital outbreaks. Hart J, Christiansen KJ, Lee R, Heath CH, Coombs GW, Robinson JO. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 2014 Mar 3;3(1):7. doi: 10.1186/2047-2994-3-7. PMID: 24588849 

Clinical and molecular epidemiology of community-onset invasive Staphylococcus aureus infection in New Zealand children. Williamson DA, Ritchie SR, Roberts SA, Coombs GW, Thomas MG, Hannaford O, Baker MG, Lennon D, Fraser JD. Epidemiol Infect. 2014 Aug;142(8):1713-21. doi: 10.1017/S0950268814000053. PMID: 24534254

Hyperexpression of α-hemolysin explains enhanced virulence of sequence type 93 community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Chua KY, Monk IR, Lin YH, Seemann T, Tuck KL, Porter JL, Stepnell J, Coombs GW, Davies JK, Stinear TP, Howden BP. BMC Microbiol. 2014 Feb 10;14:31. doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-14-31. PMID: 24512075 

Adaptive change inferred from genomic population analysis of the ST93 epidemic clone of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Stinear TP, Holt KE, Chua K, Stepnell J, Tuck KL, Coombs G, Harrison PF, Seemann T, Howden BP. Genome Biol Evol. 2014 Feb;6(2):366-78. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evu022. PMID: 24482534 

Staphylococcus aureus ST398 detected in pigs in Australia. Groves MD, O’Sullivan MV, Brouwers HJ, Chapman TA, Abraham S, Trott DJ, Al Jassim R, Coombs GW, Skov RL, Jordan D. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2014 May;69(5):1426-8. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkt526. No abstract available. PMID: 24446423 

Molecular epidemiology of enterococcal bacteremia in Australia. Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Daley DA, Le T, Robinson OJ, Gottlieb T, Howden BP, Johnson PD, Bennett CM, Stinear TP, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.  J Clin Microbiol. 2014 Mar;52(3):897-905. doi: 10.1128/JCM.03286-13. PMID: 24391201 

Emergence and molecular characterization of clonal complex 398 (CC398) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in New Zealand. Williamson DA, Bakker S, Coombs GW, Tan Hl, Monecke S, Heffernan H. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2014 May;69(5):1428-30. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkt499. No abstract available. PMID: 24366685 

A change in the molecular epidemiology of vancomycin resistant enterococci in Western Australia. Coombs GW, Daley D, Pearson JC, Ingram PR. Pathology. 2014 Jan;46(1):73-5. doi: 10.1097/PAT.0000000000000038. No abstract available. PMID: 24300724

Activity of ceftaroline against community associated and healthcare associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Robinson JO, Christiansen KJ. Pathology. 2014 Jan;46(1):71-3. doi: 10.1097/PAT.0000000000000032. No abstract available. PMID: 24300719

Can interchangeability of lincosamides be assumed in clinical practice? Comparative MICs of clindamycin and lincomycin for Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus. Porter MC, Henderson BA, Healy PE, Coombs GW, Ingram PR, McLellan D, Clark B. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2014 Mar;69(3):856-7. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkt436. No abstract available. PMID: 24164721 

Community-onset Staphylococcus aureus infections presenting to general practices in South-eastern Australia. Bennett CM, Coombs GW, Wood GM, Howden BP, Johnson LE, White D, Johnson PD. Epidemiol Infect. 2014 Mar;142(3):501-11. doi: 10.1017/S0950268813001581. PMID: 23866772

Antibiotic susceptibility and molecular epidemiology of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: An international survey. Macedo-Viñas M, Conly J, Francois P, Aschbacher R, Blanc DS, Coombs G, Daikos G, Dhawan B, Empel J, Etienne J, Figueiredo AM, George Golding Cnisp, Han L, Kim HB, Köck R, Larsen A, Layer F, Lo J, Maeda T, Mulvey M, Pantosti A, Saga T, Schrenzel J, Simor A, Skov R, Van Rijen M, Wang H, Zakaria Z, Harbarth S. J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 2014 Mar;2(1):43-47. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2013.08.003. PMID: 27873637 

Knowing prior methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection or colonization status increases the empirical use of glycopeptides in MRSA bacteraemia and may decrease mortality. Robinson JO, Phillips M, Christiansen KJ, Pearson JC, Coombs GW, Murray RJ. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2014 Jun;20(6):530-5. doi: 10.1111/1469-0691.12388. PMID: 24224545

Development and usage of protein microarrays for the quantitative measurement of Panton-Valentine leukocidin. Stieber B, Monecke S, Müller E, Baier V, Coombs GW, Ehricht R. Mol Cell Probes. 2014 Aug;28(4):123-32. doi: 10.1016/j.mcp.2013.11.003. PMID: 24308917

2013

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance Hospital-onset Staphylococcus aureus Surveillance Programme annual report, 2011. Coombs GW, Nimmo GR, Pearson JC, Collignon PJ, Bell JM, McLaws ML, Christiansen KJ, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2013 Sep 30;37(3):E210-8. PMID: 24890956

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance Enterococcus Surveillance Programme annual report, 2010. Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Christiansen K, Gottlieb T, Bell JM, George N, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2013 Sep 30;37(3):E199-209. PMID: 24890955

Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance Community-onset Gram-negative Surveillance Program annual report, 2010. Turnidge JD, Gottlieb T, Mitchell DH, Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Bell JM; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2013 Sep 30;37(3):E219-23. PMID: 24890957

Clinical and molecular epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in New Zealand: rapid emergence of sequence type 5 (ST5)-SCCmec-IV as the dominant community-associated MRSA clone. Williamson DA, Roberts SA, Ritchie SR, Coombs GW, Fraser JD, Heffernan H. PLoS One. 2013 Apr 25;8(4):e62020. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062020. PMID: 23637953

A genomic portrait of the emergence, evolution, and global spread of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pandemic. Holden MT, Hsu LY, Kurt K, Weinert LA, Mather AE, Harris SR, Strommenger B, Layer F, Witte W, de Lencastre H, Skov R, Westh H, Zemlicková H, Coombs G, Kearns AM, Hill RL, Edgeworth J, Gould I, Gant V, Cooke J, Edwards GF, McAdam PR, Templeton KE, McCann A, Zhou Z, Castillo-Ramírez S, Feil EJ, Hudson LO, Enright MC, Balloux F, Aanensen DM, Spratt BG, Fitzgerald JR, Parkhill J, Achtman M, Bentley SD, Nübel U. Genome Res. 2013 Apr;23(4):653-64. doi: 10.1101/gr.147710.112. PMID: 23299977 

Rapid detection of Panton-Valentine leukocidin in Staphylococcus aureus cultures by use of a lateral flow assay based on monoclonal antibodies. Monecke S, Müller E, Buechler J, Rejman J, Stieber B, Akpaka PE, Bandt D, Burris R, Coombs G, Hidalgo-Arroyo GA, Hughes P, Kearns A, Abós SM, Pichon B, Skakni L, Söderquist B, Ehricht R. J Clin Microbiol. 2013 Feb;51(2):487-95. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02285-12. PMID: 23175260 

Molecular characterization of endocarditis-associated Staphylococcus aureus. Nethercott C, Mabbett AN, Totsika M, Peters P, Ortiz JC, Nimmo GR, Coombs GW, Walker MJ, Schembri MA. J Clin Microbiol. 2013 Jul;51(7):2131-8. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00651-13. PMID: 23616460

Genomic insights to control the emergence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Howden BP, Holt KE, Lam MM, Seemann T, Ballard S, Coombs GW, Tong SY, Grayson ML, Johnson PD, Stinear TP. MBio. 2013 Aug 13;4(4). pii: e00412-13. doi: 10.1128/mBio.00412-13. PMID: 23943759

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus and molecular epidemiology of meticillin-resistant S. aureus isolated from Australian hospital inpatients: Report from the Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance 2011 Staphylococcus aureus Surveillance Programme. Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Nimmo GR, Collignon PJ, Bell JM, McLaws ML, Christiansen KJ, Turnidge JD; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.  J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 2013 Sep;1(3):149-156. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2013.04.005. PMID: 27873625

Evaluation of the BD GeneOhm MRSA ACP Assay and the Cepheid GeneXpert MRSA Assay to detect genetically diverse CA-MRSA. Coombs GW, Morgan JP, Tan HL, Pearson JC, Robinson JO. Pathology. 2013 Dec;45(7):713-5. doi: 10.1097/PAT.0000000000000015. No abstract available. PMID: 24247618

Distribution of extended-spectrum β-lactamases, AmpC β-lactamases, and carbapenemases among Enterobacteriaceae isolates causing intra-abdominal infections in the Asia-Pacific region: results of the study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART). Sheng WH, Badal RE, Hsueh PR; SMART Program. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013 Jul;57(7):2981-8. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00971-12. PMID: 23587958 

Genome sequencing and molecular characterisation of Staphylococcus aureus ST772-MRSA-V, “Bengal Bay Clone”. Monecke S, Baier V, Coombs GW, Slickers P, Ziegler A, Ehricht R. BMC Res Notes. 2013 Dec 20;6:548. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-6-548. PMID: 24359724 

2012 

The molecular epidemiology of the highly virulent ST93 Australian community Staphylococcus aureus strain. Coombs GW, Goering RV, Chua KY, Monecke S, Howden BP, Stinear TP, Ehricht R, O’Brien FG, Christiansen KJ. PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e43037. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043037. PMID: 22900085

Illness severity in community-onset invasive Staphylococcus aureus infection and the presence of virulence genes. Wehrhahn MC, Robinson JO, Pascoe EM, Coombs GW, Pearson JC, O’Brien FG, Tan HL, New D, Salvaris P, Salvaris R, Murray RJ. J Infect Dis. 2012 Jun 15;205(12):1840-8. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jis279. PMID: 22492857 

A multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis clone (ST2) is an ongoing cause of hospital-acquired infection in a Western Australian hospital. Widerström M, McCullough CA, Coombs GW, Monsen T, Christiansen KJ. J Clin Microbiol. 2012 Jun;50(6):2147-51. doi: 10.1128/JCM.06456-11. PMID: 22442320 

Formal infectious diseases consultation is associated with decreased mortality in Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. Robinson JO, Pozzi-Langhi S, Phillips M, Pearson JC, Christiansen KJ, Coombs GW, Murray RJ. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2012 Sep;31(9):2421-8. doi: 10.1007/s10096-012-1585-y. PMID: 22382823

Distribution of SCCmec-associated phenol-soluble modulin in staphylococci. Monecke S, Engelmann I, Archambault M, Coleman DC, Coombs GW, Cortez de Jäckel S, Pelletier-Jacques G, Schwarz S, Shore AC, Slickers P, Ehricht R. Mol Cell Probes. 2012 Apr;26(2):99-103. doi: 10.1016/j.mcp.2012.01.001. PMID: 22251619

Prevalence of nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in healthcare workers in a Western Australian acute care hospital. Verwer PE, Robinson JO, Coombs GW, Wijesuriya T, Murray RJ, Verbrugh HA, Riley T, Nouwen JL, Christiansen KJ. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2012 Jun;31(6):1067-72. doi: 10.1007/s10096-011-1408-6. PMID: 21909648

2011 

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from hospital inpatients, 2009: report from the Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Nimmo GR, Pearson JC, Collignon PJ, Christiansen KJ, Coombs GW, Bell JM, McLaws ML; Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2011 Sep;35(3):237-43. PMID: 22624484  

Evolution of multidrug resistance during Staphylococcus aureus infection involves mutation of the essential two component regulator WalKR. Howden BP, McEvoy CR, Allen DL, Chua K, Gao W, Harrison PF, Bell J, Coombs G, Bennett-Wood V, Porter JL, Robins-Browne R, Davies JK, Seemann T, Stinear TP. PLoS Pathog. 2011 Nov;7(11):e1002359. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002359. PMID: 22102812

The dominant Australian community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone ST93-IV [2B] is highly virulent and genetically distinct. Chua KY, Seemann T, Harrison PF, Monagle S, Korman TM, Johnson PD, Coombs GW, Howden BO, Davies JK, Howden BP, Stinear TP. PLoS One. 2011;6(10):e25887. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0025887. PMID: 21991381 

Evolution and diversity of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a geographical region. Coombs GW, Monecke S, Pearson JC, Tan HL, Chew YK, Wilson L, Ehricht R, O’Brien FG, Christiansen KJ. BMC Microbiol. 2011 Sep 29;11:215. doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-11-215. PMID: 21955438

Antibiotic choice may not explain poorer outcomes in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and high vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentrations. Holmes NE, Turnidge JD, Munckhof WJ, Robinson JO, Korman TM, O’Sullivan MV, Anderson TL, Roberts SA, Gao W, Christiansen KJ, Coombs GW, Johnson PD, Howden BP. J Infect Dis. 2011 Aug 1;204(3):340-7. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jir270. PMID: 21742831 

Comparison of a multiplexed MassARRAY system with real-time allele-specific PCR technology for genotyping of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Syrmis MW, Moser RJ, Whiley DM, Vaska V, Coombs GW, Nissen MD, Sloots TP, Nimmo GR. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2011 Dec;17(12):1804-10. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2011.03521.x. PMID: 21595795 

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a population of horses in Australia. Axon JE, Carrick JB, Barton MD, Collins NM, Russell CM, Kiehne J, Coombs G. Aust Vet J. 2011 Jun;89(6):221-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2011.00711.x. PMID: 21595643

A field guide to pandemic, epidemic and sporadic clones of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Monecke S, Coombs G, Shore AC, Coleman DC, Akpaka P, Borg M, Chow H, Ip M, Jatzwauk L, Jonas D, Kadlec K, Kearns A, Laurent F, O’Brien FG, Pearson J, Ruppelt A, Schwarz S, Scicluna E, Slickers P, Tan HL, Weber S, Ehricht R. PLoS One. 2011 Apr 6;6(4):e17936. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0017936. PMID: 21494333.  

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia: a clinical audit. Thomas R, Ferguson J, Coombs G, Gibson PG. Respirology. 2011 Aug;16(6):926-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2011.01965.x. PMID: 21382130

Antimicrobial resistance: Not community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA)! A clinician’s guide to community MRSA – its evolving antimicrobial resistance and implications for therapy. Chua K, Laurent F, Coombs G, Grayson ML, Howden BP. Clin Infect Dis. 2011 Jan 1;52(1):99-114. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciq067. Review. PMID: 21148528.

2010 

Characterisation of Australian MRSA strains ST75- and ST883-MRSA-IV and analysis of their accessory gene regulator locus. Monecke S, Kanig H, Rudolph W, Müller E, Coombs G, Hotzel H, Slickers P, Ehricht R. PLoS One. 2010 Nov 17;5(11):e14025. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014025. PMID: 21103340 

Incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infections in Auckland, New Zealand. Muttaiyah S, Coombs G, Pandey S, Reed P, Ritchie S, Lennon D, Roberts S. J Clin Microbiol. 2010 Oct;48(10):3470-4. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00911-10. PMID: 20686081 

Rapid detection of H and R Panton-Valentine leukocidin isoforms in Staphylococcus aureus by high-resolution melting analysis. Tong SY, Lilliebridge RA, Holt DC, Coombs GW, Currie BJ, Giffard PM. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2010 Aug;67(4):399-401. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2010.03.015. PMID: 20638613

Clinical and laboratory features of invasive community-onset methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection: a prospective case-control study. Wehrhahn MC, Robinson JO, Pearson JC, O’Brien FG, Tan HL, Coombs GW, Pascoe EM, Lee R, Salvaris P, Salvaris R, New D, Murray RJ. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2010 Aug;29(8):1025-33. doi: 10.1007/s10096-010-0973-4. PMID: 20549534

Differentiation of clonal complex 59 community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Western Australia. Coombs GW, Monecke S, Ehricht R, Slickers P, Pearson JC, Tan HL, Christiansen KJ, O’Brien FG. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2010 May;54(5):1914-21. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01287-09. PMID: 20211891 

Community-acquired pneumonia due to pandemic A(H1N1)2009 influenzavirus and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus co-infection. Murray RJ, Robinson JO, White JN, Hughes F, Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Tan HL, Chidlow G, Williams S, Christiansen KJ, Smith DW. PLoS One. 2010 Jan 14;5(1):e8705. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008705. PMID: 20090931 

Antimicrobial susceptibility of bloodstream isolates of Staphylococcus aureus: Global results from the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (T.E.S.T), 2004-2008 Amsterdam A, Coombs G, Dowzicky. AJID. 2010 6:7-10

2009 

Intrafamilial transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Pozzi Langhi SA, Robinson JO, Pearson JC, Christiansen KJ, Coombs GW, Murray RJ. Emerg Infect Dis. 2009 Oct;15(10):1687-9. doi: 10.3201/eid1510.081532. No abstract available. PMID: 19861077.  

Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: a major cause of mortality in Australia and New Zealand. Turnidge JD, Kotsanas D, Munckhof W, Roberts S, Bennett CM, Nimmo GR, Coombs GW, Murray RJ, Howden B, Johnson PD, Dowling K; Australia New Zealand Cooperative on Outcomes in Staphylococcal Sepsis. Med J Aust. 2009 Oct 5;191(7):368-73. PMID: 19807625

Population dynamics of methicillin-susceptible and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus in remote communities. O’Brien FG, Coombs GW, Pearman JW, Gracey M, Moss F, Christiansen KJ, Grubb WB. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2009 Oct;64(4):684-93. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkp285. PMID: 19713400.

Prevalence of MRSA strains among Staphylococcus aureus isolated from outpatients, 2006. Coombs GW, Nimmo GR, Pearson JC, Christiansen KJ, Bell JM, Collignon PJ, McLaws ML; Australian Group for Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2009 Mar;33(1):10-20. PMID: 19618763

The molecular epidemiology and evolution of the Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain USA300 in Western Australia. Monecke S, Ehricht R, Slickers P, Tan HL, Coombs G. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2009 Aug;15(8):770-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.02792.x. PMID: 19558526 

Australian Society of Antimicrobials–tenth annual scientific meeting. 26-28 February 2009, Melbourne, Australia. Coombs G. IDrugs. 2009 Apr;12(4):201-3. No abstract available. PMID: 19350457

Community-associated versus healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: a 10-year retrospective review. Robinson JO, Pearson JC, Christiansen KJ, Coombs GW, Murray RJ. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2009 Apr;28(4):353-61. doi: 10.1007/s10096-008-0632-1. PMID: 18850122

Colonisation burden of MRSA rural hospitals in Tasmania- A point prevalence study. Mitchell B, McGregor A, Coombs G. Healthcare Infection. 2009 14: 159 – 163

2008 

Frequent emergence and limited geographic dispersal of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Nübel U, Roumagnac P, Feldkamp M, Song JH, Ko KS, Huang YC, Coombs G, Ip M, Westh H, Skov R, Struelens MJ, Goering RV, Strommenger B, Weller A, Witte W, Achtman M. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Sep 16;105(37):14130-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0804178105. PMID: 18772392 

Outbreak of invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection associated with acupuncture and joint injection. Murray RJ, Pearson JC, Coombs GW, Flexman JP, Golledge CL, Speers DJ, Dyer JR, McLellan DG, Reilly M, Bell JM, Bowen SF, Christiansen KJ. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2008 Sep;29(9):859-65. doi: 10.1086/590260. PMID: 18684094

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Australia. Nimmo GR, Coombs GW. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2008 May;31(5):401-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2007.08.011. Review. PMID: 18342492

2007 

Prevalence of MRSA among Staphylococcus aureus isolated from hospital inpatients, 2005: report from the Australian Group for Antimicrobial Resistance. Nimmo GR, Pearson JC, Collignon PJ, Christiansen KJ, Coombs GW, Bell JM, McLaws ML; Australian Group for Antimicrobial Resistance. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2007 Sep;31(3):288-96. PMID: 17974221 

Controlling a multicenter outbreak involving the New York/Japan methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone. Coombs GW, Van Gessel H, Pearson JC, Godsell MR, O’Brien FG, Christiansen KJ. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2007 Jul;28(7):845-52. PMID: 17564988

Comparative genomics and DNA array-based genotyping of pandemic Staphylococcus aureus strains encoding Panton-Valentine leukocidin. Monecke S, Berger-Bächi B, Coombs G, Holmes A, Kay I, Kearns A, Linde HJ, O’Brien F, Slickers P, Ehricht R. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2007 Mar;13(3):236-49. PMID: 17391377 

2006  

Molecular typing of methicillin-resistant staphylococci isolated from cats and dogs. Malik S, Coombs GW, O’Brien FG, Peng H, Barton MD. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2006 Aug;58(2):428-31. PMID: 16782740 

Non-multiresistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in Sydney, Australia: emergence of EMRSA-15, Oceania, Queensland and Western Australian MRSA strains. Gosbell IB, Barbagiannakos T, Neville SA, Mercer JL, Vickery AM, O’Brien FG, Coombs GW, Malkowski MJ, Pearson JC. Pathology. 2006 Jun;38(3):239-44. PMID: 16753746

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the Australian community: an evolving epidemic. Nimmo GR, Coombs GW, Pearson JC, O’Brien FG, Christiansen KJ, Turnidge JD, Gosbell IB, Collignon P, McLaws ML. Med J Aust. 2006 Apr 17;184(8):384-8. PMID: 16618236 

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones, Western Australia. Coombs GW, Pearson JC, O’Brien FG, Murray RJ, Grubb WB, Christiansen KJ. Emerg Infect Dis. 2006 Feb;12(2):241-7. PMID: 16494749

2005 

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Western Australia. Dailey L, Coombs GW, O’Brien FG, Pearman JW, Christiansen K, Grubb WB, Riley TV. Emerg Infect Dis. 2005 Oct;11(10):1584-90. PMID: 16318700

Type V staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec in community staphylococci from Australia. O’Brien FG, Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Christiansen KJ, Grubb WB. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2005 Dec;49(12):5129-32. PMID: 16304184 

Macrolide, lincosamide and streptogramin B resistance in a dominant clone of Australian community methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. O’Brien FG, Zaini Z, Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Christiansen K, Grubb WB. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2005 Nov;56(5):985-6. No abstract available. PMID: 16204342 

Survey of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains from two hospitals in El Paso, Texas. O’Brien FG, Lim TT, Winnett DC, Coombs GW, Pearson JC, Delgado A, Langevin MJ, Cantore SA, Gonzalez L, Gustafson JE. J Clin Microbiol. 2005 Jun;43(6):2969-72. PMID: 15956434 

2004 

Genetic diversity among community methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains causing outpatient infections in Australia. Coombs GW, Nimmo GR, Bell JM, Huygens F, O’Brien FG, Malkowski MJ, Pearson JC, Stephens AJ, Giffard PM; Australian Group for Antimicrobial Resistance. J Clin Microbiol. 2004 Oct;42(10):4735-43. PMID: 15472334

Eradication of a large outbreak of a single strain of vanB vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium at a major Australian teaching hospital. Christiansen KJ, Tibbett PA, Beresford W, Pearman JW, Lee RC, Coombs GW, Kay ID, O’Brien FG, Palladino S, Douglas CR, Montgomery PD, Orrell T, Peterson AM, Kosaras FP, Flexman JP, Heath CH, McCullough CA. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2004 May;25(5):384-90. PMID: 15188843

2003 

Emergence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in Queensland, Australia. Munckhof WJ, Schooneveldt J, Coombs GW, Hoare J, Nimmo GR. Int J Infect Dis. 2003 Dec;7(4):259-64. PMID: 14656416 

Rapid identification of fungi by sequencing the ITS1 and ITS2 regions using an automated capillary electrophoresis system. Pryce TM, Palladino S, Kay ID, Coombs GW. Med Mycol. 2003 Oct;41(5):369-81. Erratum in: Med Mycol. 2004 Feb;42(1): 93. PMID: 14653513

Harmonization of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis protocols for epidemiological typing of strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a single approach developed by consensus in 10 European laboratories and its application for tracing the spread of related strains. Murchan S, Kaufmann ME, Deplano A, de Ryck R, Struelens M, Zinn CE, Fussing V, Salmenlinna S, Vuopio-Varkila J, El Solh N, Cuny C, Witte W, Tassios PT, Legakis N, van Leeuwen W, van Belkum A, Vindel A, Laconcha I, Garaizar J, Haeggman S, Olsson-Liljequist B, Ransjo U, Coombes G, Cookson B. J Clin Microbiol. 2003 Apr;41(4):1574-85. PMID: 12682148

Alterations in phage-typing patterns in vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus. Gustafson JE, O’Brien FG, Coombs GW, Malkowski MJ, Grubb WB, Pfeltz RF, Wilkinson BJ. J Med Microbiol. 2003 Aug;52(Pt 8):711-4. PMID: 12867567

2002  

Genetic organization of mecA and mecA-regulatory genes in epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Australia and England. Lim TT, Coombs GW, Grubb WB. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2002 Dec;50(6):819-24. PMID: 12460999

Dissemination of new methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones in the community. Okuma K, Iwakawa K, Turnidge JD, Grubb WB, Bell JM, O’Brien FG, Coombs GW, Pearman JW, Tenover FC, Kapi M, Tiensasitorn C, Ito T, Hiramatsu K. J Clin Microbiol. 2002 Nov;40(11):4289-94. PMID: 12409412

Proteome analysis of highly immunoreactive proteins of Helicobacter pylori. Lock RA, Coombs GW, McWilliams TM, Pearman JW, Grubb WB, Melrose GJ, Forbes GM. Helicobacter. 2002 Jun;7(3):175-82. PMID: 12047323

2001 

Detection of Helicobacter pylori antigen in faeces by enzyme immunoassay. Coombs GW, Foster NM, Pearman JW, Forbes GM. Pathology. 2001 Nov;33(4):496-7. PMID: 11827418

Proteome analysis of Helicobacter pylori: major proteins of type strain NCTC 11637. Lock RA, Cordwell SJ, Coombs GW, Walsh BJ, Forbes GM. Pathology. 2001 Aug;33(3):365-74. PMID: 11523942

A British epidemic strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (UK EMRSA-15) in Western Australia. Pearman JW, Coombs GW, Grubb WB, O’Brien F. Med J Aust. 2001 Jun 18;174(12):662. No abstract available. PMID: 11480692

1999  

Corneal biopsy with tissue micro-homogenisation for isolation of organisms in bacterial keratitis. Diamond J, Leeming J, Coombs G, Pearman J, Sharma A, Illingworth C, Crawford G, Easty D. Eye (Lond). 1999 Aug;13 ( Pt 4):545-9. PMID: 10692928

A prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing transparent polyurethane and hydrocolloid dressings for central venous catheters. Nikoletti S, Leslie G, Gandossi S, Coombs G, Wilson R. Am J Infect Control. 1999 Dec;27(6):488-96. PMID: 10586152

Should genotypic testing be done on all phenotypically vancomycin- resistant enterococci detected in hospitals? Coombs GW, Kay ID, Steven RA, Pearman JW, Bertolatti D, Grubb WB. J Clin Microbiol. 1999 Apr;37(4):1229-30. No abstract available. PMID: 10215453

Investigation of a cluster of Staphylococcus aureus invasive infection in the top end of the Northern Territory. Skull SA, Krause V, Coombs G, Pearman JW, Roberts LA. Aust N Z J Med. 1999 Feb;29(1):66-72. PMID: 10200815

1998

Emergence and epidemiology of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in Australia. Bell J, Turnidge J, Coombs G, O’Brien F. Commun Dis Intell. 1998 Oct 29;22(11):249-52. PMID: 9823687

A rapid (20 h) solid screening medium for detecting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Perry PL, Coombs GW, Boehm JD, Pearman JW. J Hosp Infect. 1998 Sep;40(1):67-72. PMID: 9777524

Colony variation in Staphylococcus lugdunensis. Leung MJ, Nuttall N, Pryce TM, Coombs GW, Pearman JW. J Clin Microbiol. 1998 Oct;36(10):3096-8. PMID: 9738081

Short duration therapy for Helicobacter pylori in Western Australia: the impact of metronidazole resistance. Forbes GM, Collins BJ, McCullough CA, Coombs GW, Robins PD. Aust N Z J Med. 1998 Feb;28(1):13-7. PMID: 9544380

1996

Problems in detecting low-expression-class methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus with batches of Oxoid Mueller-Hinton agar. Coombs GW, Pearman JW, Khinsoe CH, Boehm JD. J Antimicrob Chemother. 1996 Sep;38(3):551-3. No abstract available. PMID: 8889730