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Research
Recombinational exchange of M-fibril and T-pilus genes generates extensive cell surface diversity in the global group A Streptococcus populationAmong genes present in all group A streptococci (GAS), those encoding M-fibril and T-pilus proteins display the highest levels of sequence diversity, giving rise to the two primary serological typing schemes historically used to define strain. A new genotyping scheme for the pilin adhesin and backbone genes is developed and, when combined with emm typing, provides an account of the global GAS strain population.
Research
Changing rules, recommendations, and risks: COVID-19 vaccination decisions and emotions during pregnancyAs COVID-19 vaccinations rolled out globally from late 2020, rules and recommendations regarding vaccine use in pregnancy shifted rapidly. Pre-registration COVID-19 vaccine trials excluded those who were pregnant. Initial Australian medical advice did not routinely recommend COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy, due to limited safety data and little perceived risk of local transmission.
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BEAT-CF (Bayesian Evidence Adaptive Treatment for people with Cystic Fibrosis): description of a prospective cohort for nested studies in cystic fibrosisDespite recent improvements in treatment modalities for cystic fibrosis (CF), there is currently limited evidence and a lack of consensus regarding optimal treatment strategies for the different aspects of CF, including pulmonary exacerbations (PEx). We aimed to establish a prospective cohort of people with CF (pwCF) to evaluate alternative approaches to managing CF in the era of modulator therapies.
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Skin health of urban-living Aboriginal children attending a primary care Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation clinicDespite increasing urbanisation, little is known about skin health for urban-living Aboriginal children and young people (CYP, aged <18 years). This study aimed to investigate the primary care burden and clinical characteristics of skin conditions in this cohort.
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The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in Australian children: A crosssectional studyFollowing reduction of public health and social measures concurrent with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron emergence in late 2021 in Australia, COVID-19 case notification rates rose rapidly. As rates of direct viral testing and reporting dropped, true infection rates were most likely to be underestimated.
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Antecedent and persistent symptoms in COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses: Insights from prospectively collected data in the BRACE trialSome individuals have a persistence of symptoms following both COVID-19 (post-acute COVID-19 syndrome; PACS) and other viral infections. This study used prospectively collected data from an international trial to compare symptoms following COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 respiratory illness, to identify factors associated with the risk of PACS, and to explore symptom patterns before and after COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 respiratory illnesses.
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DNA Methylation signatures underpinning blood neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio during first week of human lifeUnderstanding of newborn immune ontogeny in the first week of life will enable age-appropriate strategies for safeguarding vulnerable newborns against infectious diseases. Here we conducted an observational study exploring the immunological profile of infants longitudinally throughout their first week of life.
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Serological Responses to Streptococcus pyogenes Vaccine Candidate Antigens Suggests That Streptococcus dysgalactiae Is the Predominant Cause of Lower Limb CellulitisA future Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) vaccine will ideally prevent a significant burden of lower limb cellulitis; however, natural immune responses to proposed vaccine antigens following an episode of cellulitis remain uncharacterized.
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Impact of Parent-Reported Antibiotic Allergies on Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship ProgramsAntimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is crucial for optimizing antimicrobial use and restraining emergence of antimicrobial resistance. The overall increase in reported antibiotic allergies in children can pose a significant barrier to AMS, but its impact on clinical AMS care in children has not been addressed.
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From Local to Systemic: The Journey of Tick Bite Biomarkers in Australian PatientsTick bites and tick-related diseases are on the rise. Diagnostic tests that identify well-characterised tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) possess limited capacity to address the causation of symptoms associated with poorly characterised tick-related illnesses, such as debilitating symptom complexes attributed to ticks (DSCATT) in Australia. Identification of local signals in tick-bitten skin that can be detected systemically in blood would have both clinical (diagnostic or prognostic) and research (mechanistic insight) utility, as a blood sample is more readily obtainable than tissue biopsies.