Victorian Infectious Diseases Service (VIDS)

We have a strong focus on links with public health, hospital-acquired infections and optimisation of antibiotic use.

We provide a full range of inpatient and outpatient infectious diseases services, with a special focus on travel-related and tropical infections, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis and hospital-acquired infections, and antimicrobial stewardship.

Clinical initiatives

• VIDS launched a web-based antimicrobial approval system in 2000 and this has been developed and refined into the Guidance program, now in use in many Australian hospitals.
• VIDS has undertaken planning for pandemic influenza patient management at a hospital and DHS level.
• We encouraged expansion of the private Fairfield Travel Clinic to meet increased demand for pre-travel health advice that is not provided at public hospitals.
• VIDS aims to improve the health of refugees in Victoria by improving clinical services, both at the specialist and primary care level, providing education to GPs and other health providers, especially in the field of infectious diseases, and conducting translational research to inform ‘best’ clinical practice. We also advocate for optimal clinical care and preventive health for refugees in a variety of forums, including with Government, NGO’s and other stake holders.
• The development of the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship at the Doherty Institute recognises Melbourne Health leadership in this vital area.
• The Royal Melbourne Hospital is Victoria’s “Quarantine Hospital” for Infectious Diseases. RMH is prepared to treat patients with highly contagious infectious diseases, with a purpose-built infectious disease ward, ICU and laboratory facilities, and appropriately trained staff.
• VIDS is one of the 5 partners in the Doherty Institute for Infections and Immunity, a joint venture between Melbourne Health and the University of Melbourne. Within this institute, VIDS has links to various Infectious Disease Reference Labs, state of the art laboratory capacity including microbial genomics, and relevant basic science research.

Research activities and projects

We have an active research program, and have established strong links with public health.

• AIDS/HIV
• Antibiotic Stewardship
• Health-related infections
• Hepatitis
• Immigrant and refugees
• Infections in Immunocompromised patients, particularly fungal infections
• Influenza
• Journal Club
• MBL
• Mathematical Modelling
• Sepsis
• Sepsis studies
• Telehealth
• Travel Medicine
• Tuberculosis
• Drug trials, particularly in relation to viral hepatitis, and antibiotic therapy