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Early mortality and primary causes of death in mothers of children with intellectual disability or Autism spectrum disorder

Mothers of children with intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have poorer health than other mothers.

Tonsils at Telethon: developing a standardised collection of tonsil photographs for group A streptococcal (GAS) research

Group A streptococcus (GAS) infections, such as pharyngitis and impetigo, can lead to rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations experience high rates of RHD and GAS skin infection, yet rates of GAS pharyngitis are unclear. 

Change in health outcomes for First Nations children with chronic wet cough: rationale and study protocol for a multi-centre implementation science study

In children, chronic wet cough may be a sign of underlying lung disease, including protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) and bronchiectasis. Chronic (> 4 weeks in duration) wet cough (without indicators pointing to alternative causes) that responds to antibiotic treatment is diagnostic of PBB. Timely recognition and management of PBB can prevent disease progression to irreversible bronchiectasis with lifelong consequences. However, detection and management require timely health-seeking by carers and effective management by clinicians.

Longitudinal surveillance of group A streptococcal pharyngitis and impetigo in remote Western Australian school children informs acute rheumatic fever prevention

The prevalence of impetigo and pharyngitis - which are both superficial group A streptococcus (GAS) infections that precede acute rheumatic fever - is poorly defined. Guidelines recommend the early diagnosis of both infections to prevent ARF; however, screening to enable the concurrent detection of these infections in high-risk populations has rarely been performed. 

Environmental and social determinants of acute rheumatic fever: a longitudinal cohort study

Prevention strategies in ARF endemic settings may be enhanced by targeting new members entering a community and children in environments of close contact

Low positive predictive value of International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes in relation to rheumatic heart disease: a challenge for global surveillance

We outline a series of research initiatives to improve identification of RHD in administrative data thereby contributing to monitoring the RHD burden globally

Effectiveness of clindamycin and intravenous immunoglobulin, and risk of disease in contacts, in invasive group a streptococcal infections

This paper reports on treatment, and preventing infection in close contact, of invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) using the antibiotic clindamycin and...

Boosting the influenza vaccine schedule in children with cancer: a prospective open-label study

Current immunization guidelines recommend one dose of influenza vaccine for children aged ≥9 years and two doses for younger or vaccine-naïve children. However, children receiving chemotherapy have an attenuated immune response. We performed a prospective open-label study in children undergoing treatment for cancer at Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, to examine the safety and efficacy of a boosted influenza schedule.

Monogenic early-onset lymphoproliferation and autoimmunity: Natural history of STAT3 gain-of-function syndrome

In 2014, germline signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 gain-of-function (GOF) mutations were first described to cause a novel multisystem disease of early-onset lymphoproliferation and autoimmunity.

A comparison of parent-reported and self-reported psychosocial function scores of the PedsQL for children with non-severe burn

Quality of life of paediatric patients after burn injury is often assessed through parents who may score differently to their child. Non-severe burns are the most common type of burn injury in Western Australia, however, despite low severity and high survival rates, they can cause long term physical and psychosocial problems which need to be detected early in order to provide patients with optimal holistic care.