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Anita Williams

@catanita.bsky.social
4.5K followers 732 following 1.4K posts

Infectious Disease Epidemiologist investigating #AMR Based at @thekidsau.bsky.social in Perth, Australia Amateur stand-up comedian making jokes about diseases reposts ≠ endorsement orcid.org/0000-0002-5295-8451

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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 17h
I don't know about you, but the sexually transmitted infection Microplasma genitalium sounds like what an AI tech bro would call a condom "Hold on babe, I'm just going to put a microplasma on my genitalium" #STI #IDsky #jokesaboutgerms
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Whilst I hate being sick, and this latest URTI has been a doozy, I always get excited to be able to report it through my flu tracking survey, because at least something will count from my cold and flu-like symptoms #IDepi #episky #IDsky
info.flutracking.net
Flutracking.net | Tracking respiratory illness across Australia and New Zealand
Flutracking is an online health surveillance system used to detect epidemics of influenza across Australia and New Zealand,
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
If you're looking for something to watch, and are a fan of a period drama, I highly recommend Hotel Portofino (in Australia you can stream through SBS). Set in pre-WWII Italy, an English family runs a hotel in Portofino. Politics, romance, and everyday hijinx. Great binge.
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Health Inequalities Policy Research Group @livunihipr.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Inaugural Lecture Professor Ben Barr @benjaminbarr.bsky.social The Epidemiology of Money How money - and what governments do with it - shapes health and health inequalities 08 Oct 2026; 5.30-7pm BST, Central Teaching Hub; University of Liverpool free to attend register online: tinyurl.com/3djwvpjx
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Ed Maibach @maibached.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Amen! This is true not only in Australia, but in the US and most other nations too. Health voices can play a pivotal role in build public support and political will for more ambitious climate action, in part because climate action delivers rapid health benefits. @gchalliance.bsky.social
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Well done to @angusdalton.bsky.social for not only a great write up of Prof Dena Lyras' incredible work on C. difficle AMR mechanisms, but a brilliant ending with a "call to arms" advocacy on the state of science research in Australia. (apologies, behind paywall) www.theage.com.au/national/ult...
In four years, goes one estimate, 10 out of Victoria's 14 independent research institutes will have to close. Much of the pioneering work to tackle the thorny issue of antimicrobial resistance occurs at these kinds of agile, independent research centres. Cutting back on science now could deliver bacteria the ultimate advantage.
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The Lancet Microbe @lancetmicrobe.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
New research article Evaluation of the laboratory assessment process for A Clinically Oriented Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (ACORN-LAP) in low-income and middle-income countries www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... #IDSky #ClinMicro #MicroSky #AMR #OpenAccess #OA
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The Cathy Wilcox @cathywilcox.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Thanks @crikey.com.au for publishing this great, but sobering, piece by Jason Chatfield.
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Deepcut News @deepcutnews.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
This Labor government is the Ed Sheeran of Australian politics, @amyremeikis.bsky.social writes. "On every issue, Labor has done the least it can do." www.deepcutnews.com/p/this-labor...
deepcutnews.com
This Labor government is the Ed Sheeran of Australian politics – Amy Remeikis
There is more opportunity to push back against toxic centrism
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Adam R Houston @healthlawadamh.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Interesting story. #AMR 💊🦠 "In an unexpected move, Merck discontinued an important antibiotic from the U.S. market earlier this month, underscoring concerns about the commitment large pharmaceutical companies are willing to make to a field that is crucial to public health."
statnews.com
Merck discontinues a crucial antibiotic despite concerns over superbug resistance
Merck discontinued Recarbio, an important antibiotic in the U.S., despite concerns over resistance to superbugs.
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The 2026 #AFL Grand Final is a classic illustration of why you should never celebrate before the fat lady sings
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
This is a fantastic Grand Final game!!! Go Freo!!! #AFL
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Does this mean Canada gets to be in Eurovision? (if we're not still boycotting it)
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Received a fellowship rejection and a grant rejection within hours of each other, so naturally I have been waiting for the third piece of bad news. I just got home and realised I didn't put my keys in my bag this morning. FFS.
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Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) @msf.ca · 31/08/2026
We are appalled by reports of an Israeli airstrike within the Al Aqsa hospital compound on Aug. 29. Hospitals should be safe places for patients and healthcare workers.
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PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 30/08/2026
Human activities are transforming #ecosystems, but their effects on wildlife microbiota are poorly understood. This Unsolved Mystery by @kate-lagerstrom.bsky.social &co looks at human impacts reshape host-associated #microbiota and outlines strategies for the field. 🧪 #AcademicSky plos.io/4gzWDw5
Schematic of human impacts on wildlife microbiota.
Anthropogenic activities influence host-associated microbial communities through multiple interacting pathways, three of which are highlighted here: pollution, habitat transformation, and altered host contact networks. Pollution can drive the loss of co-evolved symbionts and increase selective pressures for the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Habitat transformation reshapes microbiota by changing habitat connectivity and microbial dispersal, as well as through physiological stress and host responses, often in a species-specific manner. Arrows indicate the direction of change in microbiota diversity across host species (red = decreased, green = increased, yellow = unchanged). Altered host contact networks result from human activities that reorganize which species interact, how often they come into contact, and which microbial source pools they encounter. These altered networks can create opportunities for human–wildlife microbial exchange, cross-species transmission, and microbial establishment in new host species or populations. Solid gray lines indicate existing wildlife interactions, broken gray lines indicate disrupted interactions, and purple bidirectional arrows indicate new or intensified anthropogenic connections. Together, these pathways can alter the composition, function, and evolutionary dynamics of microbiota, with implications for host health and disease risk. Created in BioRender. Moeller, A. (2026) https://BioRender.com/i9uzzmg.
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Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
"These findings highlight the need to integrate climate considerations into AMR surveillance and stewardship, providing a quantitative basis for climate-informed strategies to restrict future resistance escalation." #ClimateEmergency
thelancet.com
Association of climate change with the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes in Salmonella: a longitudinal ecological and modelling study
This study provides global evidence linking climate change to ARG dynamics in Salmonella. Warming and shifting precipitation patterns are associated with rising ARG abundance and are projected to furt...
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
One of my earliest memories of my (step)Dad was him dressed as Frank-N-Furter at my Mum's "F" party (F for freedom because the divorce to my biological father was finalised).
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Any Australian researchers or epidemiologists know of any decent training for stakeholder engagement, incl. identification of, different methods of engagement, relationship building etc.? #ausacademia #episky
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
New home of short form #scicomms? Challenge for @hankgreen.bsky.social to wrangle his videos to less than 10 mins for this platform?
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
As someone whose bread and butter is observational #epidemiology, and is also someone who is reviewing the onslaught of rubbish papers trying to be published, I welcome this call for excellence #EpiSky
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ARC Tracker @arc-tracker.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
"This content isn't available" ARC has blocked the information about the success rates of Future Fellowships and DECRAs that still under consideration. Clearly, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.
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Matthias Eberl @eberlmat.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Your regular reminder that vaccines are amongst the most impactful medical advances ever. In addition to eradicating smallpox and helping control measles, polio, diphtheria, COVID-19 and other preventable diseases, they are also effective against cancers and may even reduce cardiovascular disease.
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Pieter T. L. Beck @ptrbck.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
We have written a statement in support of Ghent Uni's decision to suspend Nathan Cofnas. We resist attempts to frame this as a punishment for "whistleblowing" or censorship of "controversial research". We invite all academics who share our views to sign our letter. forms.gle/qwN8xzEM5C7Q...
forms.gle
Open letter on the suspension of Nathan Cofnas at Ghent University
We, colleagues of Nathan Cofnas - supported by many colleagues internationally - want to respond to the negative and incorrect framing of Ghent University’s decision to suspend Nathan Cofnas. With th...
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The Lancet Infectious Diseases @thelancetinfdis.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
New Comment From estimates to evidence: measuring the true burden of AMR www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
thelancet.com
From estimates to evidence: measuring the true burden of AMR
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat. A considerable challenge has been generating robust evidence to define its true clinical and societal effect, and to drive policy change...
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Anyone else watching #LoveisBlindUK and exhausted by all that erratic ADHD energy pouring off Jack? Whilst neurodiversity may explain but never excuse bad behaviour, that boy has some major red flags 🚩🚩🚩 ! Also, some contestants are quite mean - we all have brain farts & forget people's names!
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Médecins Sans Frontières @msf.org · 21/08/2026
We are deeply disturbed by reports of the arrest of Dr Dima Mohammed Amin, a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology, from her home in the West Bank, Palestine. Dr Dima is the latest victim in Israel's systematic campaign of hunting down and detaining Palestinian medics.
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 21/08/2026
‘Shameful’: UK, Australia and Canada criticise Israel over Gaza aid convoy killings decision
theguardian.com
‘Shameful’: UK, Australia and Canada criticise Israel over Gaza aid convoy killings decision
Joint statement issued after IDF said it will not pursue criminal investigations into April 2024 strike that killed seven humanitarian workers Britain, Australia and Canada have called the decision of the Israeli military authorities not to open a criminal investigation into the April 2024 airstrikes that hit a convoy of aid vehicles in Gaza “shameful”. The strikes killed seven humanitarian workers from the US-based World Central Kitchen (WCK) organisation. WCK staff from the three countries were among the casualties of the attack, which prompted global outrage. Continue reading...
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Prof Melanie O'Brien @drmelob.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
An update on #Gaza by an #MSF worker there: continued killings, property destruction, & displacement. & aid continues to be weaponised & denied. #intLaw #humanRights #genocide #Israel www.deepcutnews.com/p/five-point...
deepcutnews.com
Five points that show the Gaza genocide hasn't stopped
It's just been recalibrated, says Médecins Sans Frontières
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The Newborn Toolkit @newborntoolkit.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Like this webinar? Join us on September 8th as we co-host a webinar with @lshtmamrcentre.bsky.social on neonatal antimicrobial stewardship 👉 newborntoolkit.org/webinars/wor...
newborntoolkit.org
World Sepsis Day Webinar
Join us for our upcoming Newborn Toolkit webinar to mark World Sepsis Day! This seminar will be translated live into French on Zoom. More details to follow! AGENDA Welcome   TBD Talk 1: TBD Talk 2:  …
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Congratulations Dr Ushma and my colleagues at @thekidsau.bsky.social on your publication in @jamapediatrics.com demonstrating high year-round effectiveness of RSV vaccination against RSV-associated hospitalisation in infants <6 months in Australia #MedSky #IDSky #IDEpi #PaedsSky
jamanetwork.com
Maternal RSVpreF Vaccine Effectiveness Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Hospitalized Infants
This case-control study with a test-negative design estimates effectiveness of maternal vaccination with bivalent respiratory syncytial virus prefusion F protein–based vaccine (RSVpreF) during pregnan...
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MsPraxis @mspraxis.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Oh fuck RIGHT off with that shit
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Hey #academicchatter when did we start publishing manuscripts of protocols for systematic reviews & meta-analyses? Isn't that what we have PROSPERO for? This is yet another example of how the system is broken, and the 90 characters left in this post cannot fit all the broken bits.
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Ben Williamson @benpatrickwill.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Thankfully Turnitin's planned change in terms to use all student content for AI development has been forced back. But the big Q remaining is: How did getting a degree from universities worldwide become conditional on students agreeing to the end user licence agreement of an *edtech company*?
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Médecins Sans Frontières @msf.org · 13/08/2026
The new PARTNERS clinical trial is testing the efficacy of promising treatments for the current Ebola disease outbreak. The trial, which is developed and led by the WHO and its research partners, is being conducted at our Elikya treatment centre in DRC:
msf.me
Three questions about the new clinical trial for the Ebola disease outbreak in DRC | MSF
Dr Kasita, a physician caring for Ebola patients in Democratic Republic of Congo, answers questions about the new clinical trial for the Ebola disease outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus.
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The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 13/08/2026
70 leading Australian scientists have signed an open letter calling for increased science funding and a 25% tax on gas exports. ✍️ Join more than 85,000 Australians who have signed the petition calling for a national plebiscite to introduce a 25% gas export tax ⤵️ theaus.in/4bMZRLf
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Happy FHRI Fellowship Submission Day to all the researchers submitting from the sunny state of Western Australia! May the portal gods shine upon you
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It's ME(Jaime) @exceedhergrasp1.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Important to recognize: so can other pathogens, to the point of possibly any/every pathogen.
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
I just got my home contents insurance renewal and it has increased TWENTY EIGHT PERCENT. $405 last year to $520 this year (AUD). No claims. No changes to my circumstances. What valid reasons can there be for this epic jump?!
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
I actually requested a paper based form to complete my Australian Census because I like things old school
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Happy Australian Census Day!
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Am having a night in with some great red wine wine 🍷 and my fluffy housemates, so why not run the 2025 surveillance data through the AMR package in the background? Saves waiting around for it during business hours
A black and white cat in the foreground 
A laptop turned on with code on the screen and a glass of red wine in the background
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Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Killing research on health inequities and disparities will not make such inequities and disparities disappear www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
NIH Director Bhattacharya kills more health disparities grants
Letter says agency is “adjusting its extramural research portfolio, which includes terminating grant awards”
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Epic thread about Penicillin and Japan during the second world war #AMR
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Did you know you can request a paper form to complete your Australian Census of Aug 11. You can use the link below (will require your 16 digit census number) or call 1800 130 250 Remember, every Australian counts #auspol #auscensus2026
form.census.abs.gov.au
2026 Census
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Somehow my town council rates charges have increased by 16.4% Even with a promotion my salary has not increased that much #auspol
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Last night I won a 3.5kg Barramundi at the pub. Open to suggestions for how to cook it
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
I'm screening microbiology/epidemiology papers for a review and the number of studies that don't mention where the study took place in either the title or abstract is MIND BLOWING.
static.klipy.com
Seriously
ALT: Seriously
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Anita Williams @catanita.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Are you interested in research on vaccine uptake? Do you have (or near completing) an MPH or similar? Do you have experience in qualitative data collection and research? Then the Infectious Diseases Epidemiology team at @thekidsau.bsky.social has a job for you! #IDEpi #AcademicChatter #JobOpening
thekids.csod.com
Research Officer
The OpportunityThe Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Team is dedicated to reducing the burden of infectious diseases in children and their families. We...
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Médecins Sans Frontières @msf.org · 23/07/2026
💢 Antimicrobial resistance brings added dangers to communities during conflict. Read on to learn more 👇
msf.org
Saving lives and limbs in conflict | MSF
Alongside addressing the physical and psychological wounds resulting from conflict, MSF faces another more insidious threat to health following trauma injuries: antimicrobial-resistant infections.
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