Infectious Diseases Epidemiology

We have a particular focus on acute lower respiratory infections or chest infections which include bronchiolitis, whooping cough, pneumonia and influenza. These chest infections are a major cause of childhood morbidity with a disproportionate burden in Aboriginal children.

We are investigating the burden (in terms of hospitalisation, emergency department presentation and laboratory detection rates), risk factors, seasonal and temporal trends of respiratory infections using large-scale population-based data from administrative health datasets. These different datasets are linked together using record linkage techniques.

Linking different datasets together also allows us to look at the impact and effectiveness of childhood vaccination programs. We are currently also developing mathematical models to predict future epidemics of respiratory infections in children and understand different seasonal characteristics.

Our research interests include:

• Investigating the pathogen-specific burden of respiratory infections and enteric infections using record linkage of perinatal, hospital, emergency department, infectious disease notification and laboratory data
• Investigating the temporal and seasonal trends of respiratory infections (laboratory-confirmed or otherwise) and the impact of co-infection on clinical outcomes
• Exploring seasonality of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other viruses through mathematical modelling
• Understanding the climatic drivers of seasonal respiratory infections
• International comparisons of the epidemiology of chest infections using data linkage across England and WA paying particular attention to hospital morbidity coding and available laboratory data for research purposes
• Measuring the use and effectiveness of palivizumab in WA to prevent RSV-associated morbidity in high risk children
• Evaluating the coverage and effectiveness of routine pediatric immunisations in a birth cohort of ~2million births in WA and NSW
• Streamlining the process of data linkage studies involving Commonwealth data to further our investigations of childhood infectious diseases

We work in close collaboration with other research teams around Australia and overseas including the Australian National University, University of New South Wales, and the University College London (UK).

Team Highlights

• Hosted a 1 day symposium in May 2017 entitled ‘Optimising the use of Administrative data for Respiratory Infection Research” which focused on enhancing national and international collaborations and featured 16 guest speakers from around Australia and international guests from University College London, Public Health England and Hong Kong University. This symposium formed a national network of key people in this space to push for more national data linkage projects and extensions beyond health outcomes. Perspectives paper published in Public Health Research and Practice (Altmetrics score of 11: top 25% of research outputs Moore, H.C, Blyth, C.C. Optimising the use of linked administrative data for infectious diseases research in Australia. Public Health Research & Practice.

• Awarded a competitive Commonwealth Department of Health contract to undertake influenza burden and modelling studies in Australia to inform the National Influenza Vaccination strategy. Total Grant Awarded $ 460, 913. Telethon Kids the lead organisation collaborating with Hong Kong, University, the University of Western Australia and WHO Collaborating Centre in Melbourne.

• The RSV research undertaken by the Infectious Disease Epidemiology team in WA led Telethon Kids Institute to become an affiliated partner of the RESCEU: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Consortium in Europe (has industry partners - major vaccine companies)

• In relation to Data linkage research and consultations with Advisory Committees, Dr Hannah Moore has contributed to a WA Government report outlining recommendations for future WA data linkage capabilities

• Dr Hannah Moore is a Member of National Research Advisory Group, National Children’s Digital Health Collaborative

Team Member Awards

• PHD awarded to Janice Lim. Thesis: Lim, F. 2017. Combining laboratory and health data to better assess the burden and impact of respiratory virus infections in children. Doctor of Philosophy, University of Western Australia.

• Paper entitled “The impact of pneumococcal vaccination on bacterial and viral pneumonia in Western Australian children: record linkage cohort study of 469,589 births (1996-2012)” was chosen as the paper of the month in November 2017 by the Respiratory syncytial virus consortium in Europe

• Dr Hannah Moore successful in selection from a competitive international field and completing the ADVAC (Advanced Course in Vaccinology) at the University of Geneva in May 2018 : a two-week training programme for decision-makers, including academia, industry, governmental and non-governmental agencies which aims to facilitate critical decision-making in vaccinology by providing participants with a comprehensive overview of the field, from immunology to vaccine development and clinical trials and the social, economic, political and ethical issues of vaccination. Dr Moore, post completion is now a member of the ADVAC alumni.