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Important things you should know about this year’s flu seasonNews headlines about the large number of life-threatening cases of the flu in Western Australia this winter have been hard to miss - find out what you can do to protect your family.
Research
VaccinationVaccination is the injection of an inactivated bacteria or virus into the body. This simulated infection allows an individual's immune system to develop an adaptive immunity for protection against that type of illness. When a sufficiently large percentage of a population has been vaccinated, this results in herd immunity.
Research
Antibody responses against influenza A decline with successive years of annual influenza vaccinationInfluenza vaccine effectiveness and immunogenicity can be compromised with repeated vaccination. We assessed immunological markers in a cohort of healthcare workers (HCW) from six public hospitals around Australia during 2020-2021.
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Biases in Routine Influenza Surveillance Indicators Used to Monitor Infection Incidence and Recommendations for ImprovementMonitoring how the incidence of influenza infections changes over time is important for quantifying the transmission dynamics and clinical severity of influenza. Infection incidence is difficult to measure directly, and hence, other quantities which are more amenable to surveillance are used to monitor trends in infection levels, with the implicit assumption that they correlate with infection incidence.
Research
Statistical considerations for the platform trial in COVID-19 vaccine priming and boostingThe Platform trial In COVID-19 priming and BOOsting (PICOBOO) is a multi-site, adaptive platform trial designed to generate evidence of the immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and cross-protection of different booster vaccination strategies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and its variants, specific for the Australian context.
Research
A Phase 1/2a Study Evaluating Safety and Immunogenicity of Ad26.RSV.preF in RSV-seronegative Toddlers Aged 12-24 MonthsRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes serious illness in children. The Ad26.RSV.preF vaccine candidate was immunogenic with acceptable safety in a phase 1/2a study of RSV-seropositive children. Here, we assessed its safety and immunogenicity in RSV-seronegative children.
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The Interseasonal Resurgence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Australian Children Following the Reduction of Coronavirus Disease 2019-Related PublicFollowing the end of winter, there has been a persistent absence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 community transmission and no increase in influenza detections. Limited physical distancing measures have remained in place, with largely no restrictions on gathering sizes and no mandate for wearing masks.
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Previous Influenza Infection Exacerbates Allergen Specific Response and Impairs Airway Barrier Integrity in Pre-Sensitized MiceIn this study we assessed the effects of antigen exposure in mice pre‐sensitized with allergen following viral infection on changes in lung function, cellular responses and tight junction expression.
Research
Surveillance for severe influenza and COVID-19 in patients admitted to sentinel Australian hospitals in 2020: the Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN)Influenza is a common cause of acute respiratory infection, and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infection that emerged as a pandemic worldwide before the start of the 2020 Australian influenza season.
News & Events
WA parents oblivious to true danger of the fluPerth parents are underestimating the serious consequences of the flu, with only 19 per cent of children under five years of age currently immunized against the virus ahead of the peak winter flu season.