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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.
There is growing evidence to support partial oral antibiotic treatment of severe infections such as Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, but clinical practice is slow to adopt this paradigm. We know little about how patients with severe infection experience and perceive intravenous and oral antibiotics in terms of quality of life and clinical effectiveness. We performed a qualitative study to elicit patients' views on treatment with intravenous and oral antibiotics, aiming to provide insights that could inform collaborative treatment decision-making.
Integrating First Nations knowledge systems and Western research methodologies recognizes the strength, experience, and insight of First Nations peoples in addressing health issues in their communities. In research, this includes projects being led by First Nations Elders and peoples, including First Nations researchers in the team, and collecting data in ways that reflect First Nations ways of knowing, being, and doing.
The abundant skin commensal, Staphylococcus epidermidis, is the leading cause of late-onset sepsis (LOS) in preterm infants but rarely causes infections in term infants and adults. Staphylococcal virulence mechanisms and the role of the preterm immune responses in driving these life-threatening infections remain poorly understood.
Vancomycin is first-line treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. However, despite guideline recommendations, there is no evidence that targeting vancomycin trough concentrations of ≥15 mg/L in children confers clinical benefit and is associated with vancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity.
The Healthy Living Practices (HLPs) outline nine essential guidelines for maintaining health in remote Aboriginal communities, yet high costs and poor availability make them financially out of reach for many families. We assessed the cost and availability of essential goods required to support the HLPs in eight remote Kimberley community stores, recording prices during three visits in 2022 as part of the SToP (See, Treat, Prevent) Skin Sores and Scabies Trial, and retrospectively comparing these (inflation-adjusted) with Perth and Broome prices in 2024.
Intramuscular (IM) injection of benzathine benzylpenicillin G (BPG) forms the cornerstone of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) secondary prophylaxis. BPG is available as either a low-cost powdered formulation or a costlier pre-filled suspension. Most of the global RHD burden lies in low- and middle-income countries, which rely on the powdered formulation.
Asha Jacinta Bernadette Bowen Walton Ricciardo BA MBBS DCH FRACP PhD GAICD FAHMS OAM MBBS (hon) DCH FACD Head, Healthy Skin and ARF Prevention
Although uncommon, invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) results in death in 5%-10% of cases in healthy children and adolescents. This study aimed to examine demographics, clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes of Australian children hospitalized with IMD during the introduction of the meningococcal vaccine program, overall and by serogroup/disease severity.
Rheumatic heart disease, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries, results from acute rheumatic fever (ARF), for which no diagnostic test currently exists. The ARF Diagnosis Collaborative Network (ARC Network) was established to address this gap by recruiting a rigorously phenotyped, globally representative cohort of children and adolescents with ARF and controls to support biomarker discovery.