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New meningococcal strains bring increased risk in WA

A new study has confirmed the changing pattern of meningococcal disease in Western Australia.

A Phase 3, randomized, double-blind trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine given as a series of 2 infant doses and 1 toddler dose in healthy infants (NeXXstep)

Jennifer Peter Kent Richmond RN MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP Clinical Research Manager Head, Vaccine Trials Group Jennifer.Kent@thekids.org.au Clinical

AusVaxSafety

Christopher Peter Peter Tom Blyth Jacoby Richmond Snelling MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD BA (Hons) MSc MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP BMBS DTMH GDipClinEpid

Whooping cough vaccine could be a new weapon in the fight against food allergies

Researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia and Curtin University will use a $3.9 million grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council to investigate whether a type of whooping cough vaccine could provide bonus protection against food allergies and eczema.

Altered Behavior in Encephalitis: Insights From the Australian Childhood Encephalitis Study, 2013-2018

Altered mental status is a major criterion for a diagnosis of encephalitis to be made with alteration in behavior, a key manifestation of altered mental status. We reviewed all evaluated cases identified by the Australian Childhood Encephalitis study between May 2013 and June 2018.

Persistence of the immune responses and cross-neutralizing activity with Variants of Concern following two doses of adjuvanted SCB-2019 COVID-19 vaccine

We have previously reported the safety and immunogenicity four weeks after two doses of the Clover COVID-19 vaccine candidate, SCB-2019, a stabilized pre-fusion form of the SARS-CoV-2 S-protein (S-trimer). We now report persistence of antibodies up to 6 months after vaccination, and cross-neutralization titers against three Variants of Concern.

Lack of effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination against pneumococcal carriage density in Papua New Guinean infants

Papua New Guinea (PNG) introduced the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in 2014, with administration at 1, 2, and 3 months of age. PCV13 has reduced or eliminated carriage of vaccine types in populations with low pneumococcal carriage prevalence, carriage density and serotype diversity.

Plasma secretory phospholipase A2 as an early marker for late-onset sepsis in preterm infants—a pilot study

Preterm infants are particularly susceptible to bacterial late-onset sepsis (LOS). Diagnosis by blood culture and inflammatory markers have sub-optimal sensitivity and specificity and prolonged reporting times. There is an urgent need for more rapid, accurate adjunctive diagnostics in LOS to improve management and minimise antibiotic exposure.

School-based HPV vaccination positively impacts parents’ attitudes toward adolescent vaccination

This qualitative study aimed to explore parental attitudes, knowledge and decision-making about HPV vaccination for adolescents in the context of a gender-neutral school-based Australian National Immunisation Program (NIP). Semi-structured interviews with parents of adolescents eligible for HPV vaccination were undertaken as part of an evaluation of a cluster-randomised controlled trial of a complex intervention in 40 schools (2013-2015).

Clinician-rated quality of video otoscopy recordings and still images for the asynchronous assessment of middle-ear disease

Video otoscopy plays an important role in improving access to ear health services. This study investigated the clinician-rated quality of video otoscopy recordings and still images, and compared their suitability for asynchronous diagnosis of middle-ear disease. Two hundred and eighty video otoscopy image-recording pairs were collected from 150 children (aged six months to 15 years) by an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist, audiologists, and trained research assistants, and independently rated by an audiologist and ENT surgeon.