Development of an effective vaccine for chlamydial infection: optimisation of a non-toxic cholera toxin-based adjuvant to generate a protective mucosal response. Chlamydial genital infections are the most common sexually transmitted infection in Australia and the world and impose a major health burden on the community. Chlamydial infections are also associated with cardiovascular disease, Australia's biggest killer and asthma, another condition that has increased significantly in prevalence in t ....Development of an effective vaccine for chlamydial infection: optimisation of a non-toxic cholera toxin-based adjuvant to generate a protective mucosal response. Chlamydial genital infections are the most common sexually transmitted infection in Australia and the world and impose a major health burden on the community. Chlamydial infections are also associated with cardiovascular disease, Australia's biggest killer and asthma, another condition that has increased significantly in prevalence in the past 10 years. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of a new adjuvant as a first step towards the development of a vaccine to target these important infections.Read moreRead less
Diseases caused by the pneumococcus represent the largest cause of vaccine preventable death in the world today, mainly pneumonia and meningitis. In 2011, 16 developing countries will introduce pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, none in east Asia. Lack of research has been a major barrier to their use in the region. We have established an international centre of excellence in the field and we seek support to extend the capacity of this group and to transfer the technology to Vietnam.
Molecular Epidemiology Of Melioidosis In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$357,875.00
Summary
Melioidosis is an important infection in northern Australia. It is a common cause of fatal pneumonia and blood infection in the region. Two outbreaks of melioidosis with fatalities occurring in remote Aboriginal communities have been linked to contamination of the community water supply with the melioidosis bacteria, Burkholderia pseudomallei. In addition, a rare form of melioidosis affecting the brain and spinal cord has resulted in a number of deaths in healthy Aboriginal people and also a num ....Melioidosis is an important infection in northern Australia. It is a common cause of fatal pneumonia and blood infection in the region. Two outbreaks of melioidosis with fatalities occurring in remote Aboriginal communities have been linked to contamination of the community water supply with the melioidosis bacteria, Burkholderia pseudomallei. In addition, a rare form of melioidosis affecting the brain and spinal cord has resulted in a number of deaths in healthy Aboriginal people and also a number left living in remote communities with severe disabilities such as complete paralysis of both legs. Melioidosis has also been identified in two outbreaks occurring over many years in separate locations in southern Australia. It is thought that it may have been introduced to these regions by imported animals, eg via cattle drives, and human fatalities have occurred after local flooding in these temperate locations. This project is built on the ongoing melioidosis collaboration between researchers in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. The aim is to use new DNA fingerprinting methods developed specifically for the melioidosis bacteria to understand better why melioidosis can be such a severe disease and how it spreads from the environment to humans and animals and also how it has possibly spread within Australia and overseas. Better recognition and treatment of melioidosis has resulted in a halving of the death rate from this disease in northern Australia (mortality decreased from 40%-18%). This study aims to give us a better understanding of how this soil and water bacteria interacts with humans to cause such severe disease and will hopefully result in new primary preventative measures to complement the improved diagnosis and treatment.Read moreRead less