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Research

Geographical migration and fitness dynamics of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of pneumonia and meningitis worldwide. Many different serotypes co-circulate endemically in any one location. The extent and mechanisms of spread and vaccine-driven changes in fitness and antimicrobial resistance remain largely unquantified.

Research

Epidemiology and Outcomes of Neonatal Sepsis: Experience from a Tertiary Australian NICU

Neonatal sepsis is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Low-middle-income countries are disproportionately affected, but late-onset sepsis still occurs in up to 20% of infants <28 weeks in high-income countries. Understanding site-specific data is vital to guide management. 

Research

Study of pediatric appendicitis scores and management strategies: A prospective observational feasibility study

The objective was to investigate the feasibility of prospectively validating multiple clinical prediction scores for pediatric appendicitis in an Australian pediatric emergency department. 

News & Events

The Kids welcomes Future Fund for medical research

Perth's The Kids Research Institute Australia has welcomed the passing of legislation to establish the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

Research

FeBRILe3: Safety Evaluation of Febrile Infant Guidelines Through Prospective Bayesian Monitoring

Despite evidence supporting earlier discharge of well-appearing febrile infants at low risk of serious bacterial infection (SBI), admissions for ≥48 hours remain common. Prospective safety monitoring may support broader guideline implementation.

Research

Restricting outdoor advertising of unhealthy food: can Australia's food category-based classification system be applied consistently?

Most outdoor food advertising (e.g. billboards and bus stops) features foods that are considered unhealthy. The most important technical challenge when designing policies to restrict unhealthy outdoor food advertising is defining 'unhealthy food'. To date, most restriction policies have used nutrient profiling models (i.e. foods are classified according to their nutritional composition) to determine which foods and beverages may be advertised. In Australia, state governments have endorsed a food category-based classification system, with no prescribed nutrient limits, which may create ambiguity when multiple users are identifying food advertisements to be restricted. 

Research

Azithromycin mitigates human rhinovirus impact on barrier integrity and function in non-diseased airway epithelium

Azithromycin improves symptomology in various chronic airway diseases exacerbated by viral infections. However, the mechanisms underlying the apparent antiviral effects of azithromycin remain unclear.

News & Events

WA Near Miss Awards provide boost for leading researchers at The Kids

Nine researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia have secured vital support through the WA Near Miss Awards, allowing them to continue innovative health projects that narrowly missed out on national funding.

Research

NMR Spectroscopy-Based Lipoprotein and Glycoprotein Biomarkers Differentiate Acute and Chronic Inflammation in Diverse Healthy and Disease Population Cohorts

Understanding the distribution and variation in NMR-based inflammatory markers is crucial to the evaluation of their clinical utility in disease prognosis and diagnosis. We applied high-resolution 1H NMR spectroscopy of blood plasma and serum to measure the acute phase reactive glycoprotein signals  and the subregions of the lipoprotein-based Supramolecular Phospholipid Composite signals in a large multicohort population study.

Research

Study of pediatric appendicitis scores and management strategies: A prospective observational feasibility study

The objective was to investigate the feasibility of prospectively validating multiple clinical prediction scores for pediatric appendicitis in an Australian pediatric emergency department. 

Research

Immune impacts of infant whole-cell and acellular pertussis vaccination on co-administered vaccines

We compared the effect of a heterologous wP/aP/aP primary series (hereafter mixed wP/aP) versus a homologous aP/aP/aP primary schedule (hereafter aP-only) on antibody responses to co-administered vaccine antigens in infants and toddlers.

Research

Geographical migration and fitness dynamics of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of pneumonia and meningitis worldwide. Many different serotypes co-circulate endemically in any one location. The extent and mechanisms of spread and vaccine-driven changes in fitness and antimicrobial resistance remain largely unquantified.

Research

Small-area geographical variation in the prevalence of diabetes amongst Australian youth aged <20 years in 2021

To characterise small-area geographical variation in the prevalence of diabetes in Australian youth. A combined statistical reconstruction and small-area estimation algorithm was applied to privacy-modulated data from the 2021 Australian Census. 

Research

Epidemiology and Outcomes of Neonatal Sepsis: Experience from a Tertiary Australian NICU

Neonatal sepsis is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Low-middle-income countries are disproportionately affected, but late-onset sepsis still occurs in up to 20% of infants <28 weeks in high-income countries. Understanding site-specific data is vital to guide management. 

Research

The Association Between Breakfast Skipping and Positive and Negative Emotional Wellbeing Outcomes for Children and Adolescents in South Australia

The prevalence of child and adolescent breakfast skipping is concerning, and limited existing evidence suggests an association between skipping breakfast and negative emotional wellbeing outcomes. However, positive emotional wellbeing outcomes have been neglected from research in this space.

Research

Exploring a Preliminary Set of Indicators to Measure Adolescent Health: Results From a 12-Country Feasibility Study

To explore data availability, perceived relevance, acceptability and feasibility of implementing 52 draft indicators for adolescent health measurement in different countries globally.

Research

Changing climates, compounding challenges: A participatory study on how disasters affect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people in Fiji

Pacific youth are at the forefront of the climate crisis, which has important implications for their health and rights. Youth in Fiji currently bear a disproportionate burden of poor experiences and outcomes related to their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). There is limited information about how the increasing climate impacts may affect their SRHR, and what the implications may be for climate action and disaster risk reduction.

Research

FeBRILe3: Safety Evaluation of Febrile Infant Guidelines Through Prospective Bayesian Monitoring

Despite evidence supporting earlier discharge of well-appearing febrile infants at low risk of serious bacterial infection (SBI), admissions for ≥48 hours remain common. Prospective safety monitoring may support broader guideline implementation.

Research

Trends in treatment-seeking for fever in children under five years old in 151 countries from 1990 to 2020

Access to medical treatment for fever is essential to prevent morbidity and mortality in individuals and to prevent transmission of communicable febrile illness in communities. Quantification of the rates at which treatment is accessed is critical for health system planning and a prerequisite for disease burden estimates. 

Research

Neurodevelopmental outcomes in children after prenatal marijuana exposure

The effect of prenatal marijuana exposure on child neurodevelopment remains poorly understood. Prior studies have demonstrated inconsistent results.