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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.

News & Events

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.

Research

Acute rheumatic fever

Acute rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disorder resulting from Group A Streptococcus pharyngitis or impetigo in children and adolescents, which may evolve to rheumatic heart disease (RHD) with persistent cardiac valve damage. RHD causes substantial mortality and morbidity globally, predominantly among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, with an interplay of social determinants of health and genetic factors determining overall risk.

Research

Antibiotic consumption for sore throat and the potential effect of a vaccine against group A Streptococcus: a systematic review and modelling study

Antibiotic consumption can lead to antimicrobial resistance and microbiome imbalance. We sought to estimate global antibiotic consumption for sore throat, and the potential reduction in consumption due to effective vaccination against group A Streptococcus.

Research

Recovery of culturable Streptococcus pyogenes from swabs stored at different temperatures

Improving our understanding of superficial Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) carriage and transmission necessitates robust sampling methods. Here, we compared the effect of storing swab samples in fridge (+4°C) and freezer (-20°C) conditions on the recovery of laboratory-cultured S. pyogenes.

Research

Strep A: challenges, opportunities, vaccine-based solutions and economics

Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe, annually causing hundreds of millions of cases of disease.

Research

Safety and Tolerability of V114 Pneumococcal Vaccine in Infants: A Phase 3 Study

Disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality in children. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines are well tolerated and effective at reducing pneumococcal disease caused by vaccine serotypes. VAXNEUVANCE (V114) is a 15-valent PCV containing 13 serotypes in Prevnar 13, plus serotypes 22F and 33F. This large phase 3 study evaluated safety and tolerability of V114 in infants. 

Research

Increasing incidence of invasive group A streptococcal disease in Western Australia, particularly among Indigenous people

The incidence of invasive GAS disease in WA increased between 2000 and 2018, particularly among Indigenous Australians. Mandatory notification of invasive GAS disease would therefore be appropriate. The social determinants of differences in incidence should be addressed, and other relevant host, pathogen, and health system factors investigated.

Research

Development of an opsonophagocytic killing assay for group a streptococcus

This Group A Streptococcus OPKA assay has the potential to provide a robust and reproducible platform to accelerate GAS vaccine development.

Research

An economic case for a vaccine to prevent group A streptococcus skin infections

A vaccine that prevents GAS cellulitis and other skin infections, in addition to throat infections, would maximise its value and commercial viability