There remains a general misconception that the immune status of the fetus and neonate is immature or insufficient. However, emerging research in immune ontogeny prompts reconsideration of this orthodoxy, reframing this period instead as one of unique opportunity. Vaccine responses (qualitative and quantitative) vary between individuals, and across demographic cohorts. Elements of baseline immune status and function predict vaccine response - some of these factors are well described, others remain a subject of ongoing research, especially with the rapidly expanding field of 'omics' research, enabled by development of highly granular immune profiling techniques and increasing computational capacity. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2021
• April 2021

Rhinovirus (RV) C can cause asymptomatic infection and respiratory illnesses ranging from the common cold to severe wheezing. The aim was to identify how age and other individual-level factors are associated with susceptibility to RV-C illnesses. Longitudinal data from the COAST (Childhood Origins of Asthma) birth cohort study were analyzed to determine relationships between age and RV-C infections. Neutralizing antibodies specific for RV-A and RV-C (three types each) were determined using a novel PCR-based assay. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2021
• April 2021

Infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), malaria and soil-transmitted helminthiasis continue to impose a significant global health burden and socio-economic impact. Globally, minority indigenous people are disproportionately affected by poverty and are shown to experience a disparate burden of disease and poorer health outcomes than the comparative majority population. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2021
• July 2021

Transmissible vaccines have the potential to revolutionize how zoonotic pathogens are controlled within wildlife reservoirs. A key challenge that must be overcome is identifying viral vectors that can rapidly spread immunity through a reservoir population. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2022
• January 2022

Vaccination is the most effective method of protecting people from invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). Of all the capsular groups, B is the most common cause of invasive meningococcal disease in many parts of the world. Despite this, adolescent meningococcal B vaccine programs have not been implemented globally, partly due to the lack of evidence for herd immunity afforded by meningococcal B vaccines. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2022
• January 2022

A single dose of rubella vaccine will take longer to reduce the burden of rubella and will be less robust to lower vaccine coverage ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2016
• November 2016

B-cell dysfunction persists in patients with HIV receiving long-term antiretroviral therapy. the causes and consequences of this require further investigation. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2016
• April 2016

This review supports the recommended use of palivizumab for reducing RSV-associated hospitalisation rates in premature babies born at gestational age <33 weeks. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2014
• January 2014

Human rhinoviruses (HRV) are associated with upper and lower respiratory illnesses, including severe infections causing hospitalization in both children... ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2013
• August 2013

This paper describes a mathematical model used to predict when an epidemic of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) will occur so that preventive measures, such... ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2014
• June 2014