Search
News & Events
Wesfarmers tops 2019 GivingLarge ReportThe major funder of the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases based at The Kids Research Institute Australia has been recognised as Australia’s most generous giver.
News & Events
Babies at risk due to delayed vaccinationsAs many as a quarter of Australian babies aren’t getting vaccinated on time, leaving them at risk of developing life-threatening illnesses such as whooping cough when they are most vulnerable.
News & Events
New meningococcal strains bring increased risk in WAA new study has confirmed the changing pattern of meningococcal disease in Western Australia.
Research
Widening the lens for pandemic preparedness: children must be seen and heardThe Australian and New Zealand Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ANZPID) Group of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID) calls for urgent consideration of the needs and voices of children in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in planning for future pandemics.
Research
Estimating the impact of Western Australia's first respiratory syncytial virus immunisation program for all infants: A mathematical modelling studyThe Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration approved the use of nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody for the prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), in November 2023. Western Australia (WA) implemented a combination of nirsevimab administration strategies designed to protect all infants starting in April 2024, before the epidemic season. We developed a dynamic transmission model to predict the impact of WA's RSV immunisation program on infant hospitalisations.
Research
Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis elicits diverse antibody responses to key vaccine antigens influenced by the imprint of past infectionsKnowledge gaps regarding human immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes have impeded vaccine development. To address these gaps and evaluate vaccine candidates, we established a human challenge model of S. pyogenes pharyngitis. Here, we analyse antibody responses in serum and saliva against 19 antigens to identify characteristics distinguishing 19 participants who developed pharyngitis and 6 who did not.
Research
Haemophilus influenzae remains the predominant otitis media pathogen in Australian children undergoing ventilation tube insertion in the PCV13 eraUnderstanding patterns of bacterial carriage and otitis media (OM) microbiology is crucial for assessing vaccine impact and informing policy. The microbiology of OM can vary with geography, time, and interventions like pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). We evaluated the microbiology of nasopharyngeal and middle ear effusions in children living in Western Australia, 11 years following the introduction of PCV13.
Research
Effectiveness of 2023 southern hemisphere influenza vaccines against severe influenza-associated illness: pooled estimates from eight countries using the test-negative designAnnual estimates of seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness can guide global risk communication and vaccination strategies to mitigate influenza-associated illness. We aimed to evaluate vaccine effectiveness in countries using the 2023 southern hemisphere influenza vaccine formulation.
Research
Effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against hypoxic pneumonia and hospitalisation in Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea: An observational cohort studyPneumonia is a leading cause of childhood mortality with Streptococcus pneumoniae a major contributor. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have been introduced into immunisation programs in many low- to middle-income countries yet there is a paucity of data evaluating the effectiveness in these settings. We assess the effectiveness of 13-valent PCV against hypoxic pneumonia, hospitalisation and other clinical endpoints in children <5 years living in Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea).
Research
ATAGI 2021 annual statement on immunisation Last updated: 19 September 2021Christopher Blyth MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD Centre Head, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases; Co-Head, Infectious Diseases