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Research
Antibody responses against influenza A decline with successive years of annual influenza vaccinationInfluenza 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.
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Diverse diagnostic and management approaches for acute rheumatic fever in Australia and New Zealand: findings of a prospective clinical studyThis study provides new knowledge on ARF characteristics and management and highlights international variation in diagnostic and management practice.
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Subcutaneous Infusion of Benzathine Penicillin G Is Acceptable and Preferred Over Intramuscular Injections for Syphilis in Western Australian Sexual Health Clinic AttendeesControlling the syphilis epidemic in Australia is a public health priority. Regular intramuscular (IM) injections of benzathine penicillin G (BPG) are the current standard of care for late latent syphilis in Australia; however, repeated IM BPG injections are painful, and treatment completion rates are low. Early-phase clinical trials have demonstrated the tolerability and safety of high-dose subcutaneous infusions of BPG (SCIP), where the total treatment dose can be delivered at a single visit. Here we describe the experiences and preferences of attendees of Western Australian sexual health clinics in the Perth metropolitan region who have syphilis and were treated with SCIP.
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Healthy skin for children and young people with skin of colour starts with clinician knowledge and recognition: a narrative reviewSkin conditions most frequently encountered in paediatric practice include infections, infestations, atopic dermatitis, and acne. Skin of colour refers to skin with increased melanin and darker pigmentation, and reflects global racial and ethnic diversity. Managing skin conditions in skin of colour requires health equity nuance, which is rarely explicitly taught.
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The Unintended Impact of COVID-19 Associated Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on Paediatric Hospital Admissions: An Interrupted Time Series AnalysisCOVID-19 related non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) disrupted global healthcare utilisation, with notable declines in infection related paediatric hospitalisations. We aimed to identify non-infectious paediatric conditions for which the incidence of hospital admissions increased during the introduction and alleviation of NPIs in 2020.
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Longitudinal observational research study: establishing the Australasian Congenital Cytomegalovirus Register (ACMVR)Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is an important cause of long-term childhood disability. In Australia, the identification and treatment practices and the long-term clinical and neurodevelopmental outcomes of children with cCMV are unknown.
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Impact of vaccine mandates and removals on COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Australia and international comparators: a study protocolVaccination against SARS-CoV-2 was a crucial public health measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the multiple strategies developed to increase vaccine uptake, governments often employed vaccine mandates. However, little evidence exists globally about the impact of these mandates and their subsequent removal on vaccine uptake, including in Australia, France, Italy and the USA.
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Improving the detection of congenital syphilis: reviewing test utility and adherence to recommendationsWestern 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.
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Trimodal skin health programme for childhood impetigo control in remote Western Australia (SToP): a cluster randomised, stepped-wedge trialSkin infections affect physical health and, through stigma, social-emotional health. When untreated, they can cause life-threatening conditions. We aimed to assess the effect of a holistic, co-designed, region-wide skin control programme on the prevalence of impetigo.
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Whole genome sequencing and molecular epidemiology of paediatric Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemiaThe role Staphylococcus aureus antimicrobial resistance genes and toxins play in disease severity, management and outcome in childhood is an emerging field requiring further exploration.