Search
Almost one in five children across four remote Kimberley communities has some form of chronic lung disease, according to a new study co-designed and conducted in partnership with Aboriginal communities.
Primary aim was to review severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) hospitalisations caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children aged < 2 years in paediatric hospitals in Australia. Secondary aims included RSV subtyping, assessing RSV seasonality and contributing to the World Health Organisation's RSV surveillance programme.
The Western Australia (WA) Respiratory Infections Linked Data Platform is a population-based cohort established to investigate the epidemiology of RSV and other respiratory infections in children aged 0-10 years, incorporating microbiological testing patterns, hospital admissions, emergency department presentations, and socio-demographic data.
Christopher Peter Hannah Blyth Richmond Moore MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP OAM BSc (Hons) GradDipClinEpi PhD Centre Head,
The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration approved the use of nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody for the prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), in November 2023. Western Australia (WA) implemented a combination of nirsevimab administration strategies designed to protect all infants starting in April 2024, before the epidemic season. We developed a dynamic transmission model to predict the impact of WA's RSV immunisation program on infant hospitalisations.
Christopher Blyth MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD Centre Head, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases; Co-Head, Infectious Diseases
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant cause of respiratory infections in young children. Since 2021, RSV has been a notifiable disease in Australia. However, current surveillance systems focus on hospitalised RSV, with limited surveillance at a community level through primary care clinics. This approach only captures RSV requiring hospitalisation. Less severe illnesses, while not captured, may have significant social and economic impacts including the associated cost of care and absenteeism. The aim of this study is to establish an understanding of the broader burden of RSV in young children in a community setting.
Australia introduced a hybrid Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Maternal and Infant Protection Program (RSV-MIPP) in 2025, using National Immunisation Program-funded RSV vaccine for pregnant people from 28 weeks' gestation and jurisdiction-funded nirsevimab. We estimated real-world effectiveness and assessed the impact of the RSV-MIPP program across a participating surveillance network.
Two researchers focused on improving outcomes for children with chronic lung disease and averting suicide contagion and suicide clusters in young people have won prestigious Investigator Grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Charlie, 6, has ended up in hospital twice with invasive Strep A infection over his short lifetime – the first time when just three years old.