Senior Research Fellow (currently HOT NORTH Early Career Fellow)
BSc PhD
Dr Janessa Pickering is a research microbiologist with expertise in the molecular diagnostics and host pathogen interactions of upper respiratory tract pathogens that cause disease in children. Her PhD investigated the molecular microbiology of middle ear infection (UWA) and she has since worked in several postdoctoral roles at the Telethon Kids Institute.
Dr Pickering joined the Skin Health team in 2019 as an WAHTN Early Career Fellow to develop laboratory diagnostics for Strep A. Her research is focussed on the colonisation and infection of Strep A in paediatric populations, and her research intersects with the large cohort and clinical trials occurring in the Skin Health, Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative and Rheumatic Heart Disease teams.
Dr Pickering completed the Stanford Bio-Design course in 2016 and she maintains an interest in research commercialisation, particularly technologies enabling diagnostic solutions in resource-poor settings.
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Projects
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Publications
June 2021
A Meta-analysis on the Role of Children in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Household Transmission Clusters
The role of children in the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains highly controversial. To address this issue, we performed a meta-analysis of the published literature on household SARS-CoV-2 transmission clusters (n = 213 from 12 countries). Only 8 (3.8%) transmission clusters were identified as having a pediatric index case.
Published research Influenza Infectious Diseases Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases COVID-19August 2021Lack of effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination against pneumococcal carriage density in Papua New Guinean infants
Papua New Guinea (PNG) introduced the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in 2014, with administration at 1, 2, and 3 months of age. PCV13 has reduced or eliminated carriage of vaccine types in populations with low pneumococcal carriage prevalence, carriage density and serotype diversity.
Published research Immunisation Infectious Diseases Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious DiseasesDecember 2020Performance and Practicality of a Rapid Molecular Test for the Diagnosis of Strep A Pharyngitis in a Remote Australian Setting
Over 5 days, 120 schoolchildren from two schools in the remote Kimberley region of Australia were screened for Strep A pharyngitis. Molecular point-of-care testing identified Strep A pharyngitis in 13/18 (72.2%) symptomatic children. The portability and feasibility of molecular point-of-care testing was highly practical for remote settings.
Published research Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Invasive Streptococcus A DiseaseMarch 2020Nasal delivery of a commensal Pasteurellaceae species inhibits nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae colonisation and delays onset of otitis media in mice
We have demonstrated that a single dose of a closely related commensal can delay onset of NTHi otitis media in vivo
Published research Ear Infections Infectious Diseases Experimental Immunology Vaccine Trials Group Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease Group Skin Health -
Education and Qualifications
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Awards and Honours
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Key collaborations