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News & Events

COVID-19 risks explained for babies, children and pregnant women

Many parents may be feeling anxious and confused about what COVID-19 means for pregnant women, babies and children.

News & Events

Multi-million-dollar investment in child health to support vital research

Four The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers have received prestigious fellowships and four significant cohort studies led or co-led by The Kids have received key grants under two new funding programs supported by the State Government’s Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund.

Research

Optimisation of the sampling method for skin microbiome studies in healthy children: a pilot cohort study

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.

News & Events

The Kids researchers named as finalists in 2020 Premier’s Science Awards

Two The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers have been named as finalists in the 2020 Western Australian Premier’s Science Awards.

Research

Acute rheumatic fever

Acute rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disorder resulting from Group A Streptococcus pharyngitis or impetigo in children and adolescents, which may evolve to rheumatic heart disease (RHD) with persistent cardiac valve damage. RHD causes substantial mortality and morbidity globally, predominantly among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, with an interplay of social determinants of health and genetic factors determining overall risk.

Research

Recovery of culturable Streptococcus pyogenes from swabs stored at different temperatures

Improving our understanding of superficial Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) carriage and transmission necessitates robust sampling methods. Here, we compared the effect of storing swab samples in fridge (+4°C) and freezer (-20°C) conditions on the recovery of laboratory-cultured S. pyogenes.

Research

Clinical outcomes and severity of laboratory-confirmed RSV compared with influenza, parainfluenza and human metapneumovirus in Australian children attending secondary care

Acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) are a major contributor to the global infectious disease burden and a common cause of hospitalisation for children under 2 years. We compared clinical severity in children hospitalised with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and influenza virus (IFV).

Research

Artemisinin combination therapy at delivery to prevent postpartum malaria: A randomised open-label controlled trial

Although the incidence of malaria is increased in women in endemic areas after delivery compared to non-pregnant women, no studies have assessed the benefit of presumptive antimalarial treatment given postpartum.

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 Australia

Respiratory 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.

Research

Breadth of immune response, immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety for a pentavalent meningococcal ABCWY vaccine in healthy adolescents and young adults

A multicomponent meningococcal serogroups ABCWY vaccine (MenABCWY) could provide broad protection against disease-causing meningococcal strains and simplify the immunisation schedule.