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The suboptimal sensitivity and specificity of available diagnostic methods for scabies hampers clinical management, trials of new therapies and epidemiologic studies. Additionally, parasitologic diagnosis by microscopic examination of skin scrapings requires sample collection with a sharp scalpel blade, causing discomfort to patients and difficulty in children. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic assays, combined with non-invasive sampling methods, represent an attractive approach.
Prevalence of impetigo (skin sores) remains high in remote Australian Aboriginal communities, Fiji, and other areas of socio-economic disadvantage. Skin sore infections, driven primarily in these settings by Group A Streptococcus (GAS) contribute substantially to the disease burden in these areas. Despite this, estimates for the force of infection, infectious period and basic reproductive ratio-all necessary for the construction of dynamic transmission models-have not been obtained.
The Deborah Lehmann Research Award in Paediatric Infectious Disease Research is a funding mechanism to support the training and development of early- to mid-career researchers (EMCR) or Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students who are nationals from the Pacific Region working in or outside their hom
These data highlight the importance of recognising Sporotrichosis in children outside an outbreak setting
The Australian National Healthy Skin Guideline summarises evidence-based treatment of impetigo, scabies and fungal infections in high burden settings
Health service utilisation in this setting may be enhanced by improving general awareness of the significance of childhood skin infections
Skin infection burden in remote Aboriginal communities can be reduced by the See, Treat, Prevent (SToP skin sores and scabies) trial
Skin infections are an under-appreciated and dominant reason for presentation to primary healthcare centres in these indigenous communities
Improved public health measures targeting bacterial skin infections are needed to reduce this high burden of skin infections in Western Australia
The association between scabies and skin sores is highly significant and indicates a causal relationship