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Look Who's Talking: Host and Pathogen Drivers of Staphylococcus epidermidis Virulence in Neonatal Sepsis

Preterm infants are at increased risk for invasive neonatal bacterial infections. S. epidermidis, a ubiquitous skin commensal, is a major cause of late-onset neonatal sepsis, particularly in high-resource settings. The vulnerability of preterm infants to serious bacterial infections is commonly attributed to their distinct and developing immune system.

Personal network inference unveils heterogeneous immune response patterns to viral infection in children with acute wheezing

Human rhinovirus (RV)-induced exacerbations of asthma and wheeze are a major cause of emergency room presentations and hospital admissions among children. Previous studies have shown that immune response patterns during these exacerbations are heterogeneous and are characterized by the presence or absence of robust interferon responses.

Whole-cell pertussis vaccine in early infancy for the prevention of allergy in children

Atopic diseases are the most common chronic conditions of childhood. The apparent rise in food anaphylaxis in young children over the past three decades is of particular concern, owing to the lack of proven prevention strategies other than the timely introduction of peanut and egg.

Risk Factors for Gut Dysbiosis in Early Life

Dysbiosis refers to a reduction in microbial diversity, combined with a loss of beneficial taxa, and an increase in pathogenic microorganisms. Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota can have a substantial effect on the nervous and immune systems, contributing to the onset of several inflammatory diseases.

New funding for innovative multiple sclerosis research

WA researchers hope to gain new insights into the way immune cells in the body trigger attacks of multiple sclerosis (MS), thanks to new funding from MS Australia.

Raine Foundation grants support exciting projects in childhood cancer and newborn infections

Two The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers have been awarded prestigious grants from the Raine Medical Research Foundation for projects in childhood cancer and newborn infection control.

Effect of maternal prebiotic supplementation on human milk immunological composition: Insights from the SYMBA study

Immunomodulatory proteins in human milk (HM) can shape infant immune development. However, strategies to modulate their levels are currently unknown. This study investigated whether maternal prebiotic supplementation alters the levels of immunomodulatory proteins in HM. 

ORIGINS: Nutritional Profile of Children Aged One Year in a Longitudinal Birth Cohort

Dietary intake during the first year of life is a key determinant of a child's growth and development. ORIGINS is a longitudinal birth cohort study investigating factors that contribute to a 'healthy start to life' and the prevention of non-communicable diseases.

Off-target effects of bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination on immune responses to SARS-CoV-2: implications for protection against severe COVID-19

Because of its beneficial off-target effects against non-mycobacterial infectious diseases, bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination might be an accessible early intervention to boost protection against novel pathogens. Multiple epidemiological studies and randomised controlled trials are investigating the protective effect of BCG against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Two cases of Leclercia adecarboxylata septic arthritis in immunocompetent paediatric patients

Leclercia adecarboxylata is a rare cause of septic arthritis in children, and has intrinsic resistance to common antibiotics. We describe two cases of L. adecarboxylata septic arthritis in children that required re-presentation to hospital with prolonged treatment, and highlight the importance of considering L. adecarboxylata as a potential cause of infection among children with penetrating injuries and associated environmental exposure.