The Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease Group (BRIDG) is a team of research microbiologists and immunologists who work closely with clinicians to:
- understand bacterial infections of the respiratory tract,
- assess the effectiveness of current therapies i.e. vaccines in reducing disease,
- develop improved treatments to reduce the burden of bacterial respiratory infections.
We have a major focus ear and lung disease involving Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. Despite availability of antibiotics and improved vaccines, these pathogens are still the most significant cause of childhood morbidity and mortality from bacterial respiratory disease.
Over 1 million children die from pneumonia each year; with children in low-income countries and Indigenous Australians at greatest risk of disease. Otitis media (OM; middle ear infection) is responsible for the highest number of GP visits, antibiotic prescriptions and surgical procedures for children, with a global estimate of 740 million cases per year, including 31 million cases of chronic OM and 21 thousand deaths due to OM complications.
Indigenous children have the highest rates of chronic OM in the world, described by the WHO as “a massive public health problem requiring urgent attention”. Our current research will inform vaccine policy, advance vaccine development, and has the potential to translate to commercialisation of new treatments and tests to reduce the high global burden of bacterial respiratory infections.
Research subsite
Team
Reports and Findings
Understanding the aetiology and resolution of chronic otitis media from animal and human studies
This Clinical Puzzle article describes our current knowledge of chronic otitis media and the existing research models for this condition
Published research Ear Infections Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease GroupIncreased CTLA-4+ T cells may contribute to impaired T helper type 1 immune responses in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Chronic inflammation may expand sub-populations of T cells expressing CTLA-4 in COPD patients and therefore impair T-cell function
Published research Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease GroupAustralian Aboriginal children with otitis media have reduced antibody titers to specific nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae vaccine antigens
decreased serum IgG responses to NTHi outer membrane proteins may contribute to the development of chronic and severe OM in Australian Aboriginal children
Published research Ear Infections Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease GroupDevelopment of an opsonophagocytic killing assay for Group A Streptococcus
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) or Streptococcus pyogenes is responsible for an estimated 500,000 deaths worldwide each year.
Published research