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Comorbidities and confusion: addressing COVID-19 vaccine access and information challengesEarly in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, evidence emerged that individuals with chronic and immunocompromising conditions faced increased risk of severe infection, including death. The Australian Government and public health authorities prioritised these citizens' access to vaccines, including them in phase 1b of the rollout from 22 March 2021.
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Intervention effect of targeted workplace closures may be approximated by single-layered networks in an individual-based model of COVID-19 controlIndividual-based models of infectious disease dynamics commonly use network structures to represent human interactions. Network structures can vary in complexity, from single-layered with homogeneous mixing to multi-layered with clustering and layer-specific contact weights. Here we assessed policy-relevant consequences of network choice by simulating different network structures within an established individual-based model of SARS-CoV-2 dynamics.
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The effect and control of malaria in pregnancy and lactating women in the Asia-Pacific regionHalf of all pregnancies at risk of malaria worldwide occur in the Asia-Pacific region, where Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax co-exist. Despite substantial reductions in transmission, malaria remains an important cause of adverse health outcomes for mothers and offspring, including pre-eclampsia. Malaria transmission is heterogeneous, and infections are commonly subpatent and asymptomatic.
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Pneumococcal carriage, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility in Papua New Guinean children vaccinated with PCV10 or PCV13 in a head-to-head trialChildren in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are at high risk of pneumococcal infections. We investigated pneumococcal carriage rates, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility in PNG children after vaccination with 10-valent or 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV10; PCV13).
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COVID-19 vaccine coverage targets to inform reopening plans in a low incidence settingSince the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019 through to mid-2021, much of the Australian population lived in a COVID-19-free environment. This followed the broadly successful implementation of a strong suppression strategy, including international border closures. With the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in early 2021, the national government sought to transition from a state of minimal incidence and strong suppression activities to one of high vaccine coverage and reduced restrictions but with still-manageable transmission.
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Macrophage infectivity potentiator protein, a peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase, essential for Coxiella burnetii growth and pathogenesisCoxiella burnetii is a Gram-negative intracellular pathogen that causes the debilitating disease Q fever, which affects both animals and humans. The only available human vaccine, Q-Vax, is effective but has a high risk of severe adverse reactions, limiting its use as a countermeasure to contain outbreaks. Therefore, it is essential to identify new drug targets to treat this infection.
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Otitis media at 6-monthly assessments of Australian First Nations children between ages 12–36 months: Findings from two randomised controlled trials of combined pneumococcal conjugate vaccinesIn remote communities of northern Australia, First Nations children with hearing loss are disproportionately at risk of poor school readiness and performance compared to their peers with no hearing loss. The aim of this trial is to prevent early childhood persisting otitis media (OM), associated hearing loss and developmental delay.
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Bacillus Cereus Bacteremia and Multiple Brain Abscesses During Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Induction TherapyBacillus cereus can cause serious infections in immunosuppressed patients. This population may be susceptible to B. cereus pneumonia, bacteremia, cellulitis,...
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Hospitalisation for bronchiolitis in infants is more common after elective caesarean deliveryThe authors previously reported an increased risk of hospitalisation for acute lower respiratory infection up to age 2 years in children delivered by...
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Hospitalisation with infection, asthma and allergy in Kawasaki disease patients and their families: genealogical analysis using linked population dataKawasaki disease results from an abnormal immunological response to one or more infectious triggers.