Translating Bacterial Molecular Epidemiology Into Information To Improve Infectious Disease Risk Assessment And Control
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$494,500.00
Summary
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and group B streptococcus (GBS) are important pathogenic bacteria, which cause septicaemia and meningitis in young infants, the elderly and people with certain chronic diseases. Both consist of a number of different types, some of which are more likely to cause disease than others. Pneumococcal vaccines that protect against the commonest pathogenic types are used in Australia in people most at risk.Antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem, which shou ....Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and group B streptococcus (GBS) are important pathogenic bacteria, which cause septicaemia and meningitis in young infants, the elderly and people with certain chronic diseases. Both consist of a number of different types, some of which are more likely to cause disease than others. Pneumococcal vaccines that protect against the commonest pathogenic types are used in Australia in people most at risk.Antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem, which should be partly off-set by immunisation. Giving antibiotics during labour, to women colonised with GBS, can reduce infection rates in newborns, but there are many disadvantages of this approach, including the risk of increased antibiotic resistance. Vaccines against GBS are mpt yet available. We have developed methods to identify detailed fingerprints of these bacteria which allow us to identify types, antibiotic resistance and, for GBS, other characteristics which can distinguish highly pathogenic strains from the majority that are carried harmlessly and unlikely to cause disease. The methods are still quite slow and expensive and produce complex patterns,which are difficult to interpret rapidly. We plan to develop a new, rapid and relatively inexpensive, fingerprinting system for these bacteria and computer programs to analyse and interpret the results. They will allow us to check the strains of pneumococci that cause disease to make sure that new ones, not covered by the vaccine, do not become more common and reduce the effectiveness of vaccine and that antibiotic resistance does not increase further. The methods will also allow us to study differences between the small proportion of GBS strains that cause neonatal infection and the majority that are carried harmlessly by pregnant women and are of little risk to their babies. Eventually this should allow doctors to identify women whose babies are most at risk, reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.Read moreRead less
Worldwide Molecular Analysis Of Streptococcus Pyogenes Scarlet Fever Outbreaks
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$544,041.00
Summary
The microorganism group A Streptococcus (also called GAS or Streptococcus pyogenes) ranks among the top 10 infectious disease killers of humans. Recently, outbreaks of scarlet fever have occurred in both Asia and the United Kingdom, placing a serious strain on health systems. The reasons underlying these outbreaks remain unknown. Our team will lead the global effort to characterise this rise in scarlet fever, and provide recommendations and solutions to health professionals.
Protein Glycan Interactions In Infectious Diseases.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,182,220.00
Summary
Infectious diseases remain a serious threat to human health, accounting for over 10 million deaths each year. This is a broad-based collaborative proposal, building on our previous achievements. Its aim is to better understand the dynamic interactions between major disease-causing microbes and their human hosts, and to directly apply this new knowledge to the development of improved vaccines and novel treatment strategies. These are urgently needed to combat infectious diseases in the 21st centu ....Infectious diseases remain a serious threat to human health, accounting for over 10 million deaths each year. This is a broad-based collaborative proposal, building on our previous achievements. Its aim is to better understand the dynamic interactions between major disease-causing microbes and their human hosts, and to directly apply this new knowledge to the development of improved vaccines and novel treatment strategies. These are urgently needed to combat infectious diseases in the 21st century.Read moreRead less
Comparative And Functional Genomics Of Human Bacterial Pathogens
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$601,484.00
Summary
Bacteria have evolved different ways of causing disease in humans. Some bacteria produce toxins that attack the host or they have developed ways to persist in the host by evading immune responses and resisting antibiotics. This project is concerned with understanding how these processes occur and developing preventative strategies for two important groups of bacteria that cause disease in humans, including the bacteria that cause TB and the devastating skin disease Buruli ulcer, and the hospital ....Bacteria have evolved different ways of causing disease in humans. Some bacteria produce toxins that attack the host or they have developed ways to persist in the host by evading immune responses and resisting antibiotics. This project is concerned with understanding how these processes occur and developing preventative strategies for two important groups of bacteria that cause disease in humans, including the bacteria that cause TB and the devastating skin disease Buruli ulcer, and the hospital superbug "Golden Staph".Read moreRead less
Pathogenesis, Treatment And Prevention Of Bacterial Infectious Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$852,458.00
Summary
Bacterial infectious diseases remain a serious threat to human health, accounting for over 10 million deaths each year. My research program aims to better understand the dynamic interactions between major disease-causing bacteria and their human hosts, and to directly apply this new knowledge to the development of improved vaccines and novel treatment strategies. These are urgently needed to combat bacterial infectious diseases in the 21st century.
Preclinical Studies Of Group A Streptococcal Vaccine Candidates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$532,492.00
Summary
Group A streptococcus causes 520,000 deaths each year. A safe and effective vaccine is not commercially available. We have identified 2 new protective candidate antigens, and we seek to undertake critical preclinical studies to provide further proof-of-concept data. This work will underpin commercial decisions by our industry partner (Wyeth) leading to human trials and the development of a safe group A streptococcal vaccine for human use.
Crohn’s disease (CD), an inflammatory disorder of the gut, is thought to result from an inappropriate response to an environmental trigger, likely gut bacteria. This project will assess differences in microbial communities and host gene expression of early- and late-stage CD tissues. A greater understanding of the differences in mucosal gene expression induced by specific bacteria may provide insights into the pathophysiology of CD, and could conceivably guide therapeutic choices in the future.
E. coli is a normal inhabitant of the human intestine, but some varieties can cause serious infections that may lead to the premature death of children, especially in less developed countries. The aims of this study are to learn more about these harmful varieties of E. coli and to enhance our ability to detect them in samples from patients and the environment.