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Immunisation with the BCG and DTPw vaccines induces different programs of trained immunity in miceIn addition to providing pathogen-specific immunity, vaccines can also confer nonspecific effects (NSEs) on mortality and morbidity unrelated to the targeted disease. Immunisation with live vaccines, such as the BCG vaccine, has generally been associated with significantly reduced all-cause infant mortality. In contrast, some inactivated vaccines, such as the diphtheria, tetanus, whole-cell pertussis (DTPw) vaccine, have been controversially associated with increased all-cause mortality especially in female infants in high-mortality settings.
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Early analysis of the Australian Covid-19 epidemicAs of 1 May 2020, there had been 6808 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia. Of these, 98 had died from the disease. The epidemic had been in decline since mid-March, with 308 cases confirmed nationally since 14 April.
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Estimation of the force of infection and infectious period of skin sores in remote Australian communities using interval-censored dataPrevalence of impetigo (skin sores) remains high in remote Australian Aboriginal communities, Fiji, and other areas of socio-economic disadvantage. Skin sore infections, driven primarily in these settings by Group A Streptococcus (GAS) contribute substantially to the disease burden in these areas. Despite this, estimates for the force of infection, infectious period and basic reproductive ratio-all necessary for the construction of dynamic transmission models-have not been obtained.
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Genetics, Transcriptomics and Meta-Taxonomics in Visceral LeishmaniasisVisceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by parasites of the Leishmania donovani complex can be fatal in susceptible individuals. Understanding the interactions between host and pathogen is one way to obtain leads to develop better drugs and for vaccine development. In recent years multiple omics-based approaches have assisted researchers to gain a more global picture of this interaction in leishmaniasis. Here we review results from studies using three omics-based approaches to study VL caused by L. donovani in India.
The Infectious Disease Implementation Research Team is a multi-disciplinary group researching the best way to implement infectious disease prevention and treatment strategies to improve the wellbeing of children and teenagers.
Research
Association between respiratory syncytial viral disease and the subsequent risk of the first episode of severe asthma in different subgroups of high-risk Australian children: a whole-of-population-based cohort studyTo determine the contribution of RSV to the subsequent development of severe asthma in different subgroups of children at risk of severe RSV disease.
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Comparison of a rapid antigen test with nucleic acid testing during cocirculation of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 09 and Seasonal influena A/H3N2The rapid diagnosis of influenza is critical in optimizing clinical management. Rapid antigen tests have decreased sensitivity in detecting pandemic influenza.
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Reduced rhinovirus-specific antibodies are associated with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructiveAcute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are often linked to respiratory infections.
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Association between early bacterial carriage and otitis media in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal childrenStreptococcus pneumoniae (Pnc), nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat) are the most important bacterial pathogens...
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Clinic attendances during the first 12 months of life for Aboriginal children in five remote communities of northern AustraliaThe median number of presentations per child in the first year of life was 21 with multiple reasons for presentation.