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Increases in invasive group A streptococcal disease (iGAS) have recently been reported in multiple countries in the northern hemisphere, occurring during, and outside of, typical spring peaks. We report the epidemiology of iGAS among children in Australia from 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2022.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes pharyngitis (sore throat) and impetigo (skin sores) GAS pharyngitis triggers rheumatic fever (RF) with epidemiological evidence supporting that GAS impetigo may also trigger RF in Australian Aboriginal children. Understanding the concurrent burden of these superficial GAS infections is critical to RF prevention. This pilot study aimed to trial tools for concurrent surveillance of sore throats and skins sore for contemporary studies of RF pathogenesis including development of a sore throat checklist for Aboriginal families and pharynx photography.
The Institute has become one of the world’s leading Strep A hubs, with multiple teams working in the Institute’s END RHD Program, headed by Associate Professor Asha Bowen, working to understand how Strep A works and find better ways to prevent and control the diseases it causes.
In late 2022, six-year-old Megan Hutton was living the dream of many kids her age as she celebrated being named runner-up champion athlete at her school sports carnival.
More than 3,000 skin checks have been undertaken as part of a large clinical trial in WA’s Kimberley region aimed at halving the burden of skin sores in school-aged Aboriginal children.
Aboriginal health is everyone's business. The needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and kids is integrated into all relevant areas of our work. Improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids and families is an overarching priority for every team at The Kids.
The generous support of West Australians through Channel 7’s Telethon Trust will help support crucial child health research at The Kids Research Institute Australia in 2022.
In a WA first, researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia have shown that Aboriginal babies are 22.5 times more likely to be treated for skin infections than non-Aboriginal babies.
One of Australia’s leading infectious disease experts, Associate Professor Asha Bowen, has been announced as a finalist for the country’s leading national science awards – the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
Congratulations to four outstanding early-career researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia, who have been awarded BrightSpark Foundation fellowships and project funding for 2026.