Search

The abstract screening process of systematic reviews can take thousands of hours by two researchers. We aim to determine the reliability and validity of Research Screener, a semi-automated abstract screening tool within a systematic review on non-specific and broader effects of respiratory vaccines on acute lower respiratory infection hospitalisations and antimicrobial prescribing patterns in young children.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) causes a significant burden of illness for children under 2 years of age. Nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, was registered for RSV prevention in Australia in 2023. In April 2024, Western Australia (WA) launched the country's first state-wide nirsevimab program for all infants and high-risk children entering their second RSV season. 

Rising proportions of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) have been observed in both Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus spp. isolates.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory infection with a higher burden in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children. We conducted a pilot qualitative study identifying disease knowledge and willingness to immunise following the changing immunisation landscape for infant RSV in 2024.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness and immunogenicity can be compromised with repeated vaccination. We assessed immunological markers in a cohort of healthcare workers (HCW) from six public hospitals around Australia during 2020-2021.

Globally, Indigenous populations have been disproportionately impacted by pandemics. In Australia, though national infection rates with COVID-19 infections in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people were lower in the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was soon a greater burden in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Island people once Omicron was circulating. Uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine was also lower among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

Acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) are a major contributor to the global infectious disease burden and a common cause of hospitalisation for children under 2 years. We compared clinical severity in children hospitalised with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and influenza virus (IFV).

Western Australia (WA) has experienced a resurgence of congenital syphilis. Appropriate microbiology testing of the neonate is recommended to confirm infection, including syphilis immunoglobulin M (IgM), rapid plasma reagin (RPR) paired with a maternal sample, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on placenta and nasal swabs.

Acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI) remains a major worldwide cause of childhood mortality, compelling innovation in prevention and treatment. Children in Papua New Guinea (PNG) experience profound morbidity from ALRI caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. As a result of evolutionary divergence, the human PNG population exhibits profound genetic variation and diversity. To address unmet health needs of children in PNG, we tested whether genetic variants increased ALRI morbidity. 

Invasive fungal disease is a common and important complication in children with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We describe the epidemiology of IFD in a large multicentre cohort of children with AML.