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Researchers share their expertise with the community in Cockburn

Researchers from the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases at The Kids Research Institute Australia have shared their expertise with the community in Cockburn, covering topics ranging from respiratory disease in babies to recurring ear infections in kids.

News & Events

Warm Welcome for the Neonatal Infection and Immunity Team

Clinical Professor Tobias Strunk, Dr Andrew Currie and their Neonatal Infection and Immunity Team have become the newest members of the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases.

Research

Inferring temporal trends of multiple pathogens, variants, subtypes or serotypes from routine surveillance data

Estimating the temporal trends in infectious disease activity is crucial for monitoring disease spread and the impact of interventions. Surveillance indicators routinely collected to monitor these trends are often a composite of multiple pathogens. For example, "influenza-like illness"-routinely monitored as a proxy for influenza infections-is a symptom definition that could be caused by a wide range of pathogens, including multiple subtypes of influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV.

Research

A multi-country investigation of influenza vaccine coverage in pregnant individuals, 2010–2016

Many countries recommend influenza vaccination during pregnancy. Despite this recommendation, influenza vaccine among pregnant individuals remains under-utilized and uptake varies by country. Factors associated with influenza vaccine uptake during pregnancy may also vary across countries.

Research

National predictors of influenza vaccine uptake in pregnancy: the FluMum prospective cohort study, Australia, 2012-2015

Our aim is to ascertain predictors of inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) uptake in pregnancy in mother-infant pairs from six Australian sites over four consecutive influenza seasons (2012-2015).

Research

From program suspension to the pandemic: A qualitative examination of Australia's vaccine pharmacovigilance system over 10 years

In 2010, the Australian seasonal influenza vaccination program for children under 5 years of age was suspended due to an unexpected increase in fever and febrile convulsions causally associated with one particular influenza vaccine brand. A subsequent national review made seven recommendations to improve vaccine pharmacovigilance.

Research

PCV10 elicits Protein D IgG responses in Papua New Guinean children but has no impact on NTHi carriage in the first two years of life

Nasopharyngeal colonisation with nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is associated with development of infections including pneumonia and otitis media. The 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) uses NTHi Protein D (PD) as a carrier. Papua New Guinean children have exceptionally early and dense NTHi carriage, and high rates of NTHi-associated disease.

Research

Influenza disease and vaccination in children in Australia

Over the past decade, multiple initiatives have been implemented to strengthen influenza vaccination programs in Australia, with an increasing focus on children. In this article, we review these changes, the events that prompted them, and how they have influenced influenza vaccine uptake in Australia.

Research

Barriers to influenza vaccination of children hospitalised for acute respiratory illness: A cross-sectional survey

To identify barriers to influenza vaccination of children hospitalised for acute respiratory illness in Australia. A total of 595 parents of children hospitalised with acute respiratory illness across five tertiary hospitals in 2019 participated in an online survey. Multivariate logistic regression identified factors most strongly associated with influenza vaccination barriers. 

Research

FluMum: A prospective cohort study of mother-infant pairs assessing the effectiveness of maternal influenza vaccination in revention of influenza

Evidence is emerging of benefit to the infant with respect to preventing influenza infection in the first 6 months of life. The FluMum study aims to...