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Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) causes a wide spectrum of diseases, ranging from pharyngitis and impetigo to severe invasive infections and immune-mediated conditions such as acute rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease and acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis. Contemporary data on the global burden of Strep A diseases are lacking.
In 2024, the government of Western Australia introduced 'nirsevimab', a monoclonal antibody offering protection from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), for eligible infants. This study explores why parents of infants who were eligible to receive nirsevimab opted to decline or delay the immunisation.
We aimed to assess and identify any gaps in antimicrobial stewardship resources and activities for all hospitalised children in Australia pre- and post- the COVID-19 pandemic
Studies of traditional Indigenous compared to 'Western' gut microbiomes are underrepresented, and lacking in young children, limiting knowledge of early-life microbiomes in different cultural contexts. Here we analyze the gut metagenomes of 50 Indigenous Australian infants (median age <one year) living remotely with variable access to Western foods, compared to age- and sex-matched non-Indigenous infants living in urban Australia.
Asymptomatic carriage of Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) may contribute to transmission, yet its role remains poorly understood and evidence on optimal detection methods is limited. While self-collected throat swabs are used in infectious disease surveillance, their value for identifying asymptomatic Strep A carriage in adults is uncertain. This pilot prospective cohort study, conducted at a Perth medical research institute between August and October 2024, assessed feasibility and acceptability of self-collection, with sensitivity as a secondary objective.
Household fabrics, such as clothes, bedding, and towels, are in close contact with the skin and are assumed to play a role in the transmission of skin pathogens/ectoparasites. International public health advice for managing skin conditions therefore usually includes recommendations to wash clothes and bedding. However, such advice is often general and inconsistent between sources.
We investigated the genetic and epigenetic regulation of the UBASH3A gene and its association with early-onset sepsis. Using matched whole blood DNA methylation, gene expression, genotypes, and immune cell counts from the EPIC-HIPC newborn cohort, we report that promoter methylation was negatively correlated with ontogenetic changes in UBASH3A gene expression and circulating CD3+ T-cell numbers.
BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is a common opportunistic infection in kidney transplant recipients, typically reactivating in the context of immunosuppression. Although asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, reactivation in transplant recipients can cause BKPyV-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN), a leading cause of graft dysfunction and loss. BKPyV viremia affects approximately 10%-15% of transplant recipients, and once BKPyVAN is established, the risk of graft failure can exceed 50%.
Learn more about the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases