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Recent interest in the diverse ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and viruses that make up the skin microbiome has led to numerous studies investigating the skin microbiome in healthy skin and in dermatological conditions. However, skin microbiome analysis is challenging due to relatively low numbers of skin microorganisms compared to mucosal sites, such as the respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts. Microbiome results are heavily influenced by sampling methods.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes pharyngitis (sore throat) and impetigo (skin sores) GAS pharyngitis triggers rheumatic fever (RF) with epidemiological evidence supporting that GAS impetigo may also trigger RF in Australian Aboriginal children. Understanding the concurrent burden of these superficial GAS infections is critical to RF prevention. This pilot study aimed to trial tools for concurrent surveillance of sore throats and skins sore for contemporary studies of RF pathogenesis including development of a sore throat checklist for Aboriginal families and pharynx photography.
Cellulitis is an acute bacterial infection of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue usually found complicating a wound, ulcer, or dermatosis. This article provides guidelines for the surveillance of cellulitis.
Subcutaneous delivery of antibiotics is a practical alternative to intravenous administration. Ceftriaxone is commonly used for a variety of infections with limited data on the safety and pharmacokinetics of a 2 g subcutaneous dose. This was a prospective, self-controlled cross-over study in 20 stable inpatients receiving ceftriaxone for their infection. Following an intravenous dose, participants received a single dose of 2 g subcutaneous ceftriaxone, in 50 mL normal saline via gravity feed.
Impetigo is a contagious skin disease caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. Without treatment, impetigo may be recurrent, develop into severe disease, or have serious, life-threatening sequelae. Standard treatment consists of topical or systemic antibiotic therapy (depending on severity), however, due to antibiotic resistance some therapies are increasingly ineffective.
Indigenous Australian children suffer the highest rates of impetigo (skin sores) in the world, which can result in serious immune complications including chronic kidney and possibly rheumatic heart disease.
Asha Dylan Janessa Tim Bowen Barth Pickering Barnett BA MBBS DCH FRACP PhD GAICD FAHMS OAM B.Tech, MPH, PhD BSc PhD PhD Head, Healthy Skin and ARF
Tonsil organ model to evaluate carriage, disease mechanisms and therapeutic interventions for treatment and prevention of Group A Streptococcal infections.
Streptococcus pyogenes (also known as group A Streptococcus , Strep A) is an obligate human pathogen with significant global morbidity and mortality. Transmission is believed to occur primarily between individuals via respiratory droplets, but knowledge about other potential sources of transmission via aerosols or the environment is limited. Such knowledge is required to design optimal interventions to control transmission, particularly in endemic settings.
Skin infections affect physical health and, through stigma, social-emotional health. When untreated, they can cause life-threatening conditions. We aimed to assess the effect of a holistic, co-designed, region-wide skin control programme on the prevalence of impetigo.