Christopher Blyth CC MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD Director, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases; Co-Head, Infectious Diseases ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Projects

To assess parental awareness of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the level of acceptance of future RSV prevention strategies. A cross-sectional online survey was implemented targeting "future" and "current" parents of children aged ≤5 years in Australia. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2024
• February 2024

Concerns regarding adverse events following immunisation are a barrier to vaccine uptake. Health professionals use vaccine safety surveillance systems (VSSSs) to monitor vaccines and inform the public of safety data. With little known about public attitudes, perceptions, and experiences with VSSS, we examined them in the context of COVID-19 vaccinations in Western Australia. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2024
• January 2024

Seasonal influenza vaccine is effective against influenza hospitalisations, but little is known about non-specific effects of the vaccine on other respiratory pathogens with similar seasonal patterns. We aimed to assess the causal impact of seasonal influenza vaccine on laboratory-confirmed hospitalisations for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children using an instrumental variable strategy. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• July 2023

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. RSV seasonality was disrupted by COVID-19-associated nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). We review RSV seasonality, molecular epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and community awareness to inform future prevention strategies. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• October 2023

Vaccination in pregnancy is the best strategy to reduce complications from influenza or pertussis infection in infants who are too young to be protected directly from vaccination. Pregnant women are also at risk of influenza complications preventable through antenatal vaccination. Both vaccines are funded under the National Immunisation Program for pregnant women in Australia, but coverage is not routinely reported nationally.  ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• Jun 2023

Respiratory syncytial virus contributes to significant global infant morbidity and mortality. We applied a previously developed statistical prediction model incorporating pre-pandemic RSV testing data and hospital admission data to estimate infant RSV-hospitalizations by birth month and prematurity, focused on infants aged <1 year. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• July 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic is the first major pandemic of the digital age and has been characterised by unprecedented public consumption of spatial and temporal disease data, which can enable greater transparency and accountability of governments to the public for their public health decisions. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• Jun 2023

The aim was to document the aetiology of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) hospitalisations in Western Australian children ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2012
• January 2012

We investigated trends in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in Western Australia (WA). ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2010
• June 2010