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Breastfeeding in a COVID-19 worldThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the birthing and postnatal experience of women. This review highlights how policy changes have affected pregnant and breastfeeding women, the evidence for continued breastfeeding and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines, and how the pandemic's unexpected consequences have affected these women's wellbeing.
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Distinct Streptococcus pneumoniae cause invasive disease in Papua New GuineaStreptococcus pneumoniae is a key contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality in Papua New Guinea (PNG). For the first time, whole genome sequencing of 174 isolates has enabled detailed characterisation of diverse S. pneumoniae causing invasive disease in young children in PNG, 1989-2014.
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Off-season RSV epidemics in Australia after easing of COVID-19 restrictionsHuman respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of acute respiratory infection with the most severe disease in the young and elderly. Non-pharmaceutical interventions and travel restrictions for controlling COVID-19 have impacted the circulation of most respiratory viruses including RSV globally, particularly in Australia, where during 2020 the normal winter epidemics were notably absent.
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Western Australian health care workers’ views on mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for the workplaceHealth care workers (HCWs) are at an increased risk of catching and spreading Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) compared with the general community, putting health systems at risk. Several jurisdictions globally have mandated or are looking to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for this cohort, but little is known about the acceptability of this measure, especially in different contexts, and there is little qualitative data to explore nuance, depth, and the reasons behind HCWs’ opinions.
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The Centres for Disease Control light trap and the human decoy trap compared to the human landing catch for measuring Anopheles biting in rural TanzaniaVector mosquito biting intensity is an important measure to understand malaria transmission. Human landing catch (HLC) is an effective but labour-intensive, expensive, and potentially hazardous entomological surveillance tool. The Centres for Disease Control light trap (CDC-LT) and the human decoy trap (HDT) are exposure-free alternatives.
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Safety and Immunogenicity of MF59-Adjuvanted Cell Culture-Derived A/H5N1 Subunit Influenza Virus Vaccine: Dose-Finding Clinical Trials in Adults and the ElderlyIn adult and elderly participants, the full-dose aH5N1c vaccine formulation was well tolerated and met US and European licensure criteria for pandemic vaccines
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Implications of asymptomatic carriers for infectious disease transmission and controlFor pathogens such as Staph. A and Streptococcus P., some hosts may carry the pathogen and transmit it to others, yet display no symptoms themselves.
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Ascertaining infectious disease burden through primary care clinic attendance among young Aboriginal children living in four remote communities in Western AustraliaImproved public health measures targeting bacterial skin infections are needed to reduce this high burden of skin infections in Western Australia
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Determining the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage required for indirect protection against vaccine-type pneumococcal carriage in low and middle-income countriesWe will investigate the relationship between PCV coverage and VT carriage among undervaccinated children in Asia and the Pacific
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Optimising the use of linked administrative data for infectious diseases research in AustraliaIncreased collaboration and engagement across all sectors can optimise the use of linked data to help reduce the burden of infectious diseases