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Research
“We've wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can”: views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western AustraliaRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory infection with a higher burden in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children. We conducted a pilot qualitative study identifying disease knowledge and willingness to immunise following the changing immunisation landscape for infant RSV in 2024.
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Epidemiology and mortality of staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia in Australian and New Zealand childrenDescribe the epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in children and adolescents younger than 18 years from Australia and New Zealand
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Psychiatry and PharmacologyDissociation can exist along a continuum from normal developmental experiences to severe and contributing to persistent mental illness and impeding normal development. It can also occur as a discreet symptom in a range of disorders or as a disorder itself, and can change depending on a number of factors such as the age and stage of development.
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Facilitating knowledge transfer during Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout: an examination of ‘Functional Dialogues’ as an approach to bridge the evidence–policy gapOur interdisciplinary team initiated a project to inform the COVID-19 vaccination programme. We developed a novel research co-creation approach to share emerging findings with government.
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KMT2A-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukaemiaKMT2A-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) represents a high risk subtype of childhood ALL. Historical treatment strategies have comprised of intensification with conventional chemotherapy. However, outcomes have remained consistently poor compared to the advances that have been seen for other ALL subtypes, particularly for infants diagnosed before their first birthday
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Caregiver perspectives regarding the impact of feeding difficulties on mealtime participation for primary school-aged autistic children and their familiesAlthough up to 89% of autistic children experience feeding difficulties, little is known about the impact of these difficulties on mealtime participation. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of feeding difficulties on the mealtime participation of autistic children and their families based on caregiver experiences.
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Breadth of immune response, immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety for a pentavalent meningococcal ABCWY vaccine in healthy adolescents and young adultsA multicomponent meningococcal serogroups ABCWY vaccine (MenABCWY) could provide broad protection against disease-causing meningococcal strains and simplify the immunisation schedule.
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Echocardiographic predictors of surgical outcomes in pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum and development of a discriminatory calculatorPulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum is a rare congenital cardiac lesion with significant anatomical heterogeneity. Surgical planning of borderline cases remains challenging and is primarily based on echocardiography. The aim was to identify echocardiographic parameters that correlate with surgical outcome and to develop a discriminatory calculator.
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Participation and quality of life among Australian children with developmental coordination disorderChildren with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) experience difficulty in the acquisition and performance of movement skills, threatening participation and quality of life. Environmental influences on participation and quality of life were investigated in children with DCD and their neurotypical peers.
News & Events
WA Government launches ‘game-changing’ nasal influenza vaccine program for kidsWestern Australian kids will have access to a needle-free nasal flu vaccine for the first time in 2026 as part of a new initiative to boost vaccination rates against the life-threatening virus.
News & Events
WA Cystic Fibrosis Research Collaborative Program GrantsNew hope is on the horizon for people living with cystic fibrosis.
Results from a world first-study measuring prevalence of chronic wet cough and protracted bacterial bronchitis in four Kimberley Aboriginal communities have highlighted the enormity of the health problem.
News & Events
Whooping Cough Day marks 10 years of vaccine advocacy efforts for Catherine Hughes AMWhooping Cough Day in 2025 has a special significance to Catherine Hughes AM and her family - it marks a decade of dedication to vaccine advocacy after the loss of their four-week-old baby son Riley in 2015.
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Neonatal and infant mortality after maternal influenza and pertussis vaccination: Probabilistically linked cohort studyMaternal influenza and pertussis vaccination is an important strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality in infants. Previous vaccine safety studies have mostly focused on the association between maternal vaccination and fetal death.
For the first time this year, all Australian babies and children aged six months to four years will be entitled to have a free influenza vaccination.
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Optimising a 6-plex tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis fluorescent bead-based immunoassaySmall volume assays are required for large-scale research studies and in particular paediatric trials, where multiple measures are required from a single sample. Fluorescent bead-based technology (Bioplex/Luminex) allows high through-put and simultaneous quantification of multiple analytes in a single test. This technology uses sets of microspheres, each with a unique spectral address that can be coated with a different antigen of interest.
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Pathogens on the rise: is impaired immunity the cause of chronic ear and chest infections?Ruth Elke Peter Thornton Seppanen Richmond PhD BSc PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP Co-head, Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease Group (BRIDG) Program
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Immunogenicity and Safety of a 2 + 1 DTPa Priming Schedule in Australian Infants and the Impact of Maternally Derived Antibodies on Pertussis Antibody Responses up to 4 Years of AgeWe assessed the impact of maternally derived pertussis antibodies on infant responses to a 2 + 1 vaccine schedule (6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 12 months). Infants with baseline antibodies showed lower IgG responses following the primary vaccination series, but this did not impair booster responses at 4 years of age.
News & Events
Top five things you should know about the measlesDr Tom Snelling from The Kids explains the top five things you should know about the virus and why having the measles vaccine is so important.