Pat Deborah Holt Strickland PG DH PhD, DSc, FRCPath, FRCPI, FAA PhD Emeritus Honorary Researcher Program Head, Immunobiology and Immunotherapeutic Program Patrick.Holt@telethonkids.org.au Deb.Strickland@telethonkids.org.au Emeritus Honorary ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Early Environment
• Immunobiology & Immunotherapeutic Program
• Pregnancy and Early Life Immunology

Accumulating evidence indicates that an early, robust type 1 interferon (IFN) response to SARS-CoV-2 is important in determining COVID-19 outcomes, with an inadequate IFN response associated with disease severity. Our objective was to examine the prophylactic potential of IFN administration to limit viral transmission. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• July 2023

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) reinfection in children is poorly understood. We examined the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of hospital-attended RSV reinfections in children <16 years in Western Australia between 2012 and 2022. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• December 2023

Children with chronic medical diseases are at an unacceptable risk of hospitalisation and death from influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections. Over the past two decades, behavioural scientists have learnt how to design non-coercive 'nudge' interventions to encourage positive health behaviours. Our study aims to evaluate the impact of multicomponent nudge interventions on the uptake of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines in medically at-risk children. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2024
• February 2024

Evidence suggests that children who had received an initial priming dose of whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccine, rather than acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine, had a lower risk of developing IgE-mediated food allergy, the most common cause of anaphylaxis-related hospital presentations of childhood. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2024
• January 2024

Psychological distress in the early postpartum period can have long-lasting deleterious effects on a mother's well-being and negatively affect her infant's development. Intervention approaches based in contemplative practices such as mindfulness and loving-kindness and compassion are intended to alleviate distress and cultivate well-being and can be delivered effectively as digital mental health interventions. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• October 2023

Secondary prophylaxis to prevent rheumatic heart disease (RHD) progression, in the form of four-weekly intramuscular benzathine benzylpenicillin G (BPG) injections, has remained unchanged since 1955. Qualitative investigations into patient preference have highlighted the need for long-acting penicillins to be delivered less frequently, ideally with reduced pain. ...

• Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• April 2023

Contemporary data for the global burden of sore throat and group A Streptococcus (Strep A) pharyngitis are required to understand the frequency of disease and develop value propositions for Strep A vaccines. ...

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

Pineoblastoma is a rare brain tumor usually diagnosed in children. Given its rarity, no pineoblastoma-specific trials have been conducted. Studies have included pineoblastoma accruing for other embryonal tumors over the past 30 years. ...

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

24-hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years promote that achieving all three-movement behaviour (sleep, sedentary behaviour and physical activity) recommendations is important for child health and development. We examined the association between meeting all, none and combinations of the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years and social-emotional development in 1363 preschool (2-5 years) boys (52%) and girls. ...

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

Evidence suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorder have increased rates of co-occurring psychosis and/or bipolar disorder. Considering the peak age of onset for psychosis and bipolar disorder occurs in adulthood, we investigated the co-occurrence of these disorders in adults with autism. ...

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

Regular intramuscular benzathine penicillin G injections have been the cornerstone of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) secondary prophylaxis since the 1950s. As the pharmacological correlate of protection remains unknown, it is difficult to recommend changes to this established regimen. Determining the minimum effective penicillin exposure required to prevent Streptococcus pyogenes infection will accelerate development of new long-acting penicillins for RHD prevention as well as inform opportunities to improve existing regimens. The CHIPS trial will address this knowledge gap by directly testing protection afforded by different steady state plasma concentrations of penicillin in an established model of experimental human S. pyogenes pharyngitis. ...

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