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COVID-19 in children: I. Epidemiology, prevention and indirect impacts

Children globally have been profoundly impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This review explores the direct and indirect public health impacts of COVID-19 on children. We discuss in detail the transmission dynamics, vaccination strategies and, importantly, the ‘shadow pandemic’, encompassing underappreciated indirect impacts of the pandemic on children.

A Meta-analysis on the Role of Children in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Household Transmission Clusters

The role of children in the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains highly controversial. To address this issue, we performed a meta-analysis of the published literature on household SARS-CoV-2 transmission clusters (n = 213 from 12 countries). Only 8 (3.8%) transmission clusters were identified as having a pediatric index case.

Prospective surveillance of primary healthcare presentations for scabies and bacterial skin infections in Fiji, 2018-2019

Scabies, impetigo, and other skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are highly prevalent in many tropical, low-middle income settings, but information regarding their burden of disease is scarce. We conducted surveillance of presentations of scabies and SSTIs, including impetigo, abscesses, cellulitis, and se≈vere SSTI, to primary health facilities in Fiji.

T-cell responses against rhinovirus species A and C in asthmatic and healthy children

Infections by RV species A and C are the most common causes of exacerbations of asthma and a major cause of exacerbations of other respiratory disease.

Potential impact of a maternal vaccine for RSV: A mathematical modelling study

Respiratory syncytial virus is a major cause of respiratory morbidity and one of the main causes of hospitalisation in young children.

Repeated vaccination does not appear to impact upon influenza vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization with confirmed influenza

These findings reinforce current recommendations for annual influenza vaccination, particularly those at greatest risk of influenza disease.

Repeat pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in Indigenous Australian adults is associated with decreased immune responsiveness

These findings highlight the critical need to evaluate the efficacy of future pneumococcal vaccine programs in the Australian Indigenous populations that recommend repeated doses of 23vPPV.

Influence of maternal obesity on the long-term health of offspring

Increasing evidence implicates maternal obesity as a major determinant of offspring health during childhood and later adult life

Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in Western Australia carry different serotypes of pneumococci with different antimicrobial susceptibility profiles

Differences in pneumococcal serotypes, genotypes, and antimicrobial susceptibility between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children living in the same area

Status of research and development of vaccines for Streptococcus pyogenes

Vaccines against Streptococcus pyogenes are considered as impeded vaccines because of a number of crucial barriers to development