Are Routine Healthcare Worker Hand Hygiene Protocols (soap/water, Alcohol-based Handrub) Effective Against Influenza?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$99,950.00
Summary
Although influenza is mainly spread from person-to-person by aerosol transmission (coughing, sneezing etc), there is growing evidence that spread also occurs on the hands of infected patients and their carers (non-aerosol transmission). Because of this, health authorities now recommend the use of careful hand hygiene (HH: hand washing with soap-water or use of alcohol-based hand rub solutions [ABHRS]) by healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients. However, despite these recommendations, there are no ....Although influenza is mainly spread from person-to-person by aerosol transmission (coughing, sneezing etc), there is growing evidence that spread also occurs on the hands of infected patients and their carers (non-aerosol transmission). Because of this, health authorities now recommend the use of careful hand hygiene (HH: hand washing with soap-water or use of alcohol-based hand rub solutions [ABHRS]) by healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients. However, despite these recommendations, there are no data that demonstrate the effectiveness of such HH protocols. This project aims to assess the clinical effectiveness of four HH protocols (handwashing with soap-water, alcohol-only ABHRS, two alcohol-chlorhexidine ABHRS) in common use in Australian hospitals to see which protocol is best for killing influenza virus. We also plan to assess how long influenza virus remains infectious on HCWs hands if they fail to use appropriate HH. Since it could be dangerous to use live avian influenza virus in this study, we plan to use the H1N1 influenza A strain that was a component of the influenza vaccine administered to most HCWs in 2005. Thus, only HCWs with protective immunity to H1N1 will participate in a series of tests in which they will have their hands artificially contaminated with a known concentration of live H1N1 before using either no HH, or one of the four HH protocols, followed by an assessment (virus culture and molecular tests) or the amount of H1N1 surviving on their hands after each protocol. Some selected HCWs will also have the amount of surviving virus assessed 30 and 60 minutes after contamination to identify how long H1N1 survives on HCWs hands should they not use appropriate HH. Following all protocols, all HCWs will perform a detailed surgical scrub (similar to surgeons before an operation) to make certain that all H1N1 is killed to avoid any infection of themselves or their contacts. The study will be undertaken in special, secure, negative-pressure rooms at Austin Hospital away from patient care areas to provide maximum safety conditions. All virus culture and molecular tests will be performed in the virus Identification Laboratory at the Victorian Infectious Disease Reference Laboratory (VIDRL), Melbourne. Results of the study should help identify which HH protocol provides the most protection against influenza.Read moreRead less
Molecular Mechanism And Therapeutic Implications Of Prion Disease Strain Types In Sporadic Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,634.00
Summary
The prion diseases are a group of transmissible, neurodegenerative disorders affecting both humans and animals. The most common form in humans is sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), although acquired (variant CJD) and inherited (familial CJD) forms also exist. Prion diseases are transmissible by inoculation with, or dietary exposure to, infected tissues. The infectious agent, referred to as a prion , has not been conclusively identified. However, a major component of purified prions is an ....The prion diseases are a group of transmissible, neurodegenerative disorders affecting both humans and animals. The most common form in humans is sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), although acquired (variant CJD) and inherited (familial CJD) forms also exist. Prion diseases are transmissible by inoculation with, or dietary exposure to, infected tissues. The infectious agent, referred to as a prion , has not been conclusively identified. However, a major component of purified prions is an abnormal disease associated form of the host prion protein. Differences in the duration of illness and pathology of sporadic CJD suggests that the disease may be caused by different prion strains. The existence of different prion strains may explain the limited clinical success of anti-prion therapeutics modeled in rodent models of prion diseases. In this study a cell-free model of prion propagation will be used to investigate the basis of human prion strains. This assay will also be used to identify and determine whether the therapeutic efficacy of anti-prion compounds is influenced by human prion strain type. This study will represent the first host species and prion strain specific screen of anti-prion therapeutics aimed at developing the best possible model for the identification and development of therapeutics for human prion diseases.Read moreRead less
Ross River virus - identification of virulence determinants in clinical isolates from across Australia. In Australia, Ross River virus (RRV) is the most common insect borne virus that affects human health. There were more than 60,000 confirmed cases of RRV between 1993 and 2008. While not fatal, the disease is responsible for significant morbidity that has both social and economic costs for the individual, their family and the community. The project has several national benefits. It will elucida ....Ross River virus - identification of virulence determinants in clinical isolates from across Australia. In Australia, Ross River virus (RRV) is the most common insect borne virus that affects human health. There were more than 60,000 confirmed cases of RRV between 1993 and 2008. While not fatal, the disease is responsible for significant morbidity that has both social and economic costs for the individual, their family and the community. The project has several national benefits. It will elucidate whether there is any association between RRV strain and the severity of human disease. It will also identify viral markers that could assist public health officials in determining likely disease outcomes of outbreaks and could provide new avenues for the design of antiviral strategies.Read moreRead less
Mosquito-borne viruses - how they cause disease and novel approaches to prevention. In Australia, Ross River virus (RRV) is the most common insect borne virus that affects human health. There were more than 60,000 confirmed cases of RRV between 1993 and 2008. While not fatal, the disease is responsible for significant morbidity that has both social and economic costs for the individual, their family and the community. This project has several national benefits. It will elucidate whether there is ....Mosquito-borne viruses - how they cause disease and novel approaches to prevention. In Australia, Ross River virus (RRV) is the most common insect borne virus that affects human health. There were more than 60,000 confirmed cases of RRV between 1993 and 2008. While not fatal, the disease is responsible for significant morbidity that has both social and economic costs for the individual, their family and the community. This project has several national benefits. It will elucidate whether there is an association between RRV strain and the severity of disease and if there are human factors that affect the seriousness of symptoms. Knowledge of both of these could provide new avenues for the design of prevention and treatment strategies.Read moreRead less
Improving The Management Of An Emerging Viral Disease In Australia: Determination Of The Mechanisms Of Neuroinvasion By Hendra Virus And Their Control, Leading To Optimisation Of Post-exposure Therapy Following Contact With Hendra Virus
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$675,742.00
Summary
Hendra virus causes severe disease in people with >50% mortality; human infection is acquired following contact with affected horses. In nature, Hendra virus is carried by flying foxes and the cause of spill-over events to horses is unknown. The impact of Hendra virus on human health may rapidly increase in response to continued urban expansion; the outcome of this project will be improved decision support for those charged with the medical management of people exposed to this deadly virus.
The Role Of Paramyxovirus P Protein Subcellular Trafficking In Virus Pathogenicity And Antagonism Of Host Interferon Responses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$78,491.00
Summary
Emerging zoonotic viruses pose a major health threat worldwide, highlighted by recent outbreaks of viruses such as Nipah and Hendra via interspecies invasion to infect humans. A major barrier to interspecies infection is the innate immune response, which viruses must evolve to combat before successful infection can occur. We aim to examine in detail the mechanisms underlying immune evasion of such viruses, with the ultimate goal of discovering novel targets for therapeutics to viral infection.
UNDERSTANDING HEPATITIS C VIRUS-SPECIFIC T CELL TOLERANCE
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$429,710.00
Summary
Most individuals who are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) develop a persistent infection that is lifelong and are at risk of developing serious liver disease, including liver cancer. The evidence suggests that an inadequate immune response is responsible for the inability of the patient to resolve the infection, but it is not clear which stage of the immunological cascade might be targeted. In this project, we will test the hypothesis that HCV antigen induce supressor T cells This will have ....Most individuals who are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) develop a persistent infection that is lifelong and are at risk of developing serious liver disease, including liver cancer. The evidence suggests that an inadequate immune response is responsible for the inability of the patient to resolve the infection, but it is not clear which stage of the immunological cascade might be targeted. In this project, we will test the hypothesis that HCV antigen induce supressor T cells This will have the effect of inhibiting the immune response and result in the outcome that we currently recognise as persistent HCV infection.Read moreRead less
CHARACTERISATION OF NOVEL PICORNAVIRUS-LIKE VIRUSES IDENTIFIED FROM PATIENTS WITH ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$366,998.00
Summary
The common cold and serious chest colds are usually due to viral infections, and mostly occur in children. Unfortunately we can only be certain of the virus causing this illness in as little as 15% of cases. We intend to address this lack of research by examining, in detail, a new virus we recently identified in a child with serious respiratory illness that required admission to hospital. Testing by our laboratory suggests that the new virus is related to picornaviruses (which cause some common ....The common cold and serious chest colds are usually due to viral infections, and mostly occur in children. Unfortunately we can only be certain of the virus causing this illness in as little as 15% of cases. We intend to address this lack of research by examining, in detail, a new virus we recently identified in a child with serious respiratory illness that required admission to hospital. Testing by our laboratory suggests that the new virus is related to picornaviruses (which cause some common colds) but seems to be present in children with far more serious illness. Our study plans to more completely identify the new picornavirus-like virus (PLV) using the tools of molecular biology and the expertise of a senior team of Australian scientists and clinicians who have recently made several virus discoveries in Australia, demonstrating that Australian virus research is capable of achieving highly competitive results that benefit our hospitals and especially their young patients. Our studies will develop extremely sensitive tests which rely on the detection of very small amounts of the viral genome. We can use these tests to determine what the whole virus looks like, when it might occur during the year and whether the PLV are found worldwide. Our studies will also produce viral proteins in the laboratory and use these to make new tests for stored blood samples. If a blood sample comes from a patient who has previously been infected by PLV, their blood will contain specific antibodies which we will then be able to detect. We also intend to determine whether some strains of PLV are more or less likely to cause serious illness than others. Improved understanding of these and other viruses minimises the chance of illness spreading within a hospital, helps scientists to decide against which viruses to design vaccines and drugs and aids medical doctors to better identify what once went undiagnosed.Read moreRead less
Molecular Characterisation Of Host Cell Targets Of Human Pathogenic Viruses And Evaluating Their Potential As Novel Therapeutic Targets.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,946.00
Summary
There are currently no therapeutics to treat victims of Hendra, Nipah or Rabies virus infections, which account for > 50,000 deaths/yr worldwide. Through not fully understood mechanisms, these viruses affect the functions of specific cellular proteins in order to inhibit the host immune system, a process essential to their pathogenicity. We aim to characterise the mechanisms underlying viral inhibition of host immunity and evaluate their potential as novel targets to develop urgently needed t ....There are currently no therapeutics to treat victims of Hendra, Nipah or Rabies virus infections, which account for > 50,000 deaths/yr worldwide. Through not fully understood mechanisms, these viruses affect the functions of specific cellular proteins in order to inhibit the host immune system, a process essential to their pathogenicity. We aim to characterise the mechanisms underlying viral inhibition of host immunity and evaluate their potential as novel targets to develop urgently needed therapeutics against these deadly pathogens.Read moreRead less