David Burgner, Nick de Klerk, Kim Carter
Infection is the leading cause of global child mortality and morbidity, and in Australia the commonest reason for childhood hospitalisation. Infection-related conditions are the commonest surgical procedures in children. Although all children are repeatedly exposed to life-threatening pathogens, only a minority develop severe infection.
Understanding the basis for this differential susceptibility is critical to reduce the huge infectious disease burden. Host factors contribute to infection-related mortality, and to susceptibility to specific, largely tropical diseases, but the genetic and environmental determinants of hospitalisation with common infections are unexplored.
We will leverage the unique Western Australian data linkage resources, which include the largest population-based twin registry and sophisticated genealogical linkages, to undertake the definitive twin and sibling study of infection-related hospitalisation. We will determine the relative contributions of genetic, and shared and non-shared environment on risk of hospitalisation for common childhood infection and related procedures.
Plain Language summary: This study combines the unique and powerful resources of the Western Australian (WA) Data Linkage System and the WA Twin Register to disentangle the effects of genetics and the environment on the most common infectious causes of hospital admissions in children. It will highlight appropriate pathways to prevent such admissions in the future.
Funder: NHMRC
External collaborator: David Burgner, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne