Search
Otitis media (OM), or middle ear infection, is one of the most common childhood illnesses globally. In Australia, OM remains a leading cause of antibiotic prescriptions in children, despite growing awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the need for stewardship. Preventing OM not only reduces the burden of disease but also plays a critical role in curbing unnecessary antibiotic use and slowing the rise of AMR.
PICOBOO is a randomised, adaptive trial evaluating the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of licensed COVID-19 booster vaccines in immunocompetent individuals >12 years old. Here, we present data for seven different vaccines among three pre-specified participant strata defined by age and primary vaccine schedule.
Understanding patterns of bacterial carriage and otitis media (OM) microbiology is crucial for assessing vaccine impact and informing policy. The microbiology of OM can vary with geography, time, and interventions like pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). We evaluated the microbiology of nasopharyngeal and middle ear effusions in children living in Western Australia, 11 years following the introduction of PCV13.
Peter Ruth Elke Richmond Thornton Seppanen MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP PhD BSc PhD Head, Vaccine Trials Group Co-head, Bacterial Respiratory Infectious
Chris Glenn Lea-Ann Peter Ruth Brennan-Jones Pearson Kirkham Richmond Thornton PhD BA (Education) PhD Candidate PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP PhD Head, Ear
Deborah Lea-Ann Peter Ruth Strickland Kirkham Richmond Thornton PhD PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP PhD Head, Pregnancy and Early Life Immunology Co-Head,
Lea-Ann Peter Ruth Kirkham Richmond Thornton PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP PhD Co-Head, Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease Group; Microbiology Lead,
Ruth Elke Peter Thornton Seppanen Richmond PhD BSc PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP Co-head, Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease Group (BRIDG) Program
Otitis media with effusion (OME) affects hearing, speech development, and quality of life (QoL) in children. The 'Blow, Breathe, Cough' (BBC) intervention promotes nasal, respiratory, and middle ear clearance through nose blowing, deep breathing, coughing, and hand hygiene. It shows promise in resolving OME but lacks randomized-controlled trial (RCT) evaluation. This paper presents a RCT protocol evaluating BBC's effect on OME resolution, hearing, speech, and QoL in children aged two to seven years.
Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) may influence immune responses to rotavirus vaccination.