In late 2022, six-year-old Megan Hutton was living the dream of many kids her age as she celebrated being named runner-up champion athlete at her school sports carnival.
A month later, this healthy, active child was in a coma at Perth Children’s Hospital after a case of Strep A pneumonia developed into sepsis.
“She started out with cold and flu-like symptoms, which continued for a few days but were nothing out of the ordinary,” Megan’s mother Ali Hutton said.
On day four Megan became lethargic, then started to quickly deteriorate. Rushed to the ED, she spent 22 days in hospital, including 12 in intensive care.
“It was a pretty sharp decline,” Ali said. “We have a video she took of herself hours beforehand and she was dancing around – less than 24 hours later she was in a coma. We didn’t know she had sepsis until she was in the ICU.”
Megan – who turned seven under the watchful eyes of the Starlight Children’s Foundation clown doctors on the ward – is now back to herself but her progress is being closely monitored.
Stamping out Strep A
The race for a vaccine
The holy grail in Strep A research is a vaccine and The Kids is leading the charge worldwide. The Institute is home to the Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative (ASAVI), a partnership with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute which is working to fast-track a safe, effective vaccine to prevent Strep A infection.
Eliminating RHD
In 2020, the END RHD national research consortium, led from the Institute, released the Endgame Strategy, a blueprint laying out the strategies needed to eliminate RHD in Australia by 2031.
Global policy
Researchers including Professor Carapetis, Associate Professor Asha Bowen and Associate Professor Hannah Moore are part of the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium (SAVAC), which has spearheaded best practice protocols that will unite efforts to create a Strep A vaccine.
Community-led approaches
Our researchers work closely with Aboriginal communities to co-design our research and resources, including those to tackle skin infections and developing new ways of delivering penicillin prevention.
On-the-spot diagnosis
We are discovering new diagnostic methods that can help people, especially those in remote areas, receive faster and more effective care.
Improving treatment
Penicillin, the world’s oldest antibiotic, remains the cornerstone of treatment for those exposed to Strep A. Used both to prevent complications and treat rheumatic fever and RHD, treatment currently involves painful monthly injections that can deter people – especially children living in remote areas – from maintaining treatment. Our researchers are working to develop new and improved formulae of penicillin that will be longer acting and easier to administer.