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Research

Microevolution and Its Impact on Hypervirulence, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Vaccine Escape in Neisseria meningitidis

Neisseria meningitidis is commensal of the human pharynx and occasionally invades the host, causing the life-threatening illness invasive meningococcal disease. The meningococcus is a highly diverse and adaptable organism thanks to natural competence, a propensity for recombination, and a highly repetitive genome.

Research

A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Comparator-Controlled Study to Evaluate Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of V114, a 15-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients (PNEU-STEM)

Individuals who receive allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) are immunocompromised and at high risk of pneumococcal infections, especially in the months following transplant. This study evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of V114 (VAXNEUVANCE; Merck, Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA), a 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), when given to allo-HCT recipients. 

Research

Systemic perturbations in amino acids/amino acid derivatives and tryptophan pathway metabolites associated with murine influenza A virus infection

Influenza A virus is the only influenza virus causing flu pandemics. Influenza is a highly contagious disease that can be deadly, especially in high-risk groups. Worldwide, these annual epidemics are estimated to result in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness and in about 290,000 to 650,000 respiratory deaths. 

Research

Who suffered most? Parental stress and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

This study examines gender and socioeconomic inequalities in parental psychological wellbeing (parenting stress and psychological distress) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Background: The dramatic shift of childcare and schooling responsibility from formal institutions to private households during the pandemic has put families under enormous stress and raised concerns about caregivers’ health and wellbeing.

Research

Modelling respiratory syncytial virus age-specific risk of hospitalisation in term and preterm infants

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of acute lower respiratory infections in children worldwide. The highest incidence of severe disease is in the first 6 months of life, with infants born preterm at greatest risk for severe RSV infections. 

Research

Searching for Strep A in the clinical environment during a human challenge trial: a sub-study protocol

Streptococcus pyogenes (also known as group A Streptococcus , Strep A) is an obligate human pathogen with significant global morbidity and mortality. Transmission is believed to occur primarily between individuals via respiratory droplets, but knowledge about other potential sources of transmission via aerosols or the environment is limited. Such knowledge is required to design optimal interventions to control transmission, particularly in endemic settings.

Research

Investigating differences in village-level heterogeneity of malaria infection and household risk factors in Papua New Guinea

Malaria risk is highly heterogeneous. Understanding village and household-level spatial heterogeneity of malaria risk can support a transition to spatially targeted interventions for malaria elimination. This analysis uses data from cross-sectional prevalence surveys conducted in 2014 and 2016 in two villages (Megiar and Mirap) in Papua New Guinea.

Research

Opisthorchis viverrini and Strongyloides stercoralis mono- and co-infections: Bayesian geostatistical analysis in an endemic area, Thailand

Parasitic infections caused by Opisthorchis viverrini and Strongyloides stercoralis remain a major public health threat in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. An understanding of climate and other environmental influences on the geographical distribution and emergence of parasitic diseases is a crucial step to guide targeted control and prevention programs.

Research

Preventing severe influenza in Australian infants: Maternal influenza vaccine effectiveness in the PAEDS-FluCAN networks using the test-negative design

Christopher Blyth MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD Centre Head, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases; Co-Head, Infectious Diseases

Research

Does a major change to a COVID-19 vaccine program alter vaccine intention? A qualitative investigation

On 8th April 2021, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) made the Pfizer-BioNtech (Comirnaty) vaccine the “preferred” vaccine for adults in Australia aged < 50 years due to a risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) following AstraZeneca vaccination. We sought to understand whether this impacted COVID-19 vaccine intentions.