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Syphilis remains a global public health concern, particularly in pregnancy due to the risk of congenital syphilis. The WHO recommends benzathine penicillin G (BPG) as the standard treatment in pregnant women, whilst the optimal dosing strategy has not been established, particularly in relation to the impact of gestational age. This study sought to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of a three-dose regimen of intramuscular BPG, given at weekly intervals, in pregnant women with syphilis.
Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 was a crucial public health measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the multiple strategies developed to increase vaccine uptake, governments often employed vaccine mandates. However, little evidence exists globally about the impact of these mandates and their subsequent removal on vaccine uptake, including in Australia, France, Italy and the USA.
BCG vaccination and revaccination are increasingly being considered for the protection of adolescents and adults against tuberculosis and, more broadly, for the off-target protective immunological effects against other infectious and noninfectious diseases. Within an international randomized controlled trial of BCG vaccination in healthcare workers (the BRACE trial), we evaluated the incidence of local and serious adverse events, as well as the impact of previous BCG vaccination on local injection site reactions (BCG revaccination).
Pregnancy and early infancy are increased risk periods for severe adverse effects of respiratory infections. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (respectfully referred to as First Nations) women and children in Australia bear a disproportionately higher burden of respiratory diseases compared to non-Indigenous women and infants. Influenza vaccines and whooping cough (pertussis) vaccines are recommended and free in every Australian pregnancy to combat these infections.
Asthma is among the commonest noncommunicable diseases of childhood and often occurs with other atopic comorbidities. A previous case-control study found evidence that compared to children who received acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines in early infancy, children who received one or more doses of whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccine had lower risk of developing IgE-mediated food allergy. We hypothesized that wP vaccination in early infancy might protect against atopic asthma in childhood.
Australian children and adolescents were among the last local cohorts offered COVID-19 vaccines. Despite promising initial uptake, coverage subsequently plateaued, requiring further efforts to improve access and build parents’ recognition of the importance of COVID-19 vaccination.
Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children in rural/remote areas suffer high rates of persistent otitis media (OM) from early infancy. We aimed to determine the proportion of Aboriginal infants living in an urban area who have OM and investigate associated risk factors.
Antenatal inactivated influenza and pertussis-containing vaccines offer protection against severe respiratory infections for pregnant women and infants <6 months of age. Both vaccines are recommended in pregnancy; however, little is known about temporal or jurisdictional trends and predictors of uptake.
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) reduced the risk of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in a randomized clinical trial. We aimed to assess the real-world effectiveness of PCV on RSV-hospitalizations among Western Australian infants.
The bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine has immunomodulatory "off-target" effects that have been hypothesized to protect against coronavirus disease 2019.