Publications by authors named "A Steer"
Background: Healthy skin is important for maintaining overall physical and cultural health and wellbeing. However, remote-living Australian Aboriginal children contend with disproportionally high rates of (Strep A) infected impetigo. The SToP Trial was a large stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial of See, Treat, and Prevent (SToP) skin health activities implemented between 2019 and 2022 in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, during which a decrease in impetigo was observed.
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- Knowledge gaps in understanding human immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes have slowed vaccine development, prompting researchers to establish a human challenge model to study this infection.
- The study analyzed antibody responses in serum and saliva from participants, revealing that those who developed pharyngitis had strong serum IgG responses to vaccine antigens but weaker mucosal IgA responses.
- The findings indicate that past exposure to the bacteria affects immune responses, underscoring the need to consider these complexities when evaluating potential vaccines in future trials.
Scabies is the most common neglected tropical disease with cutaneous manifestations, disproportionately affecting socially disadvantaged populations living in overcrowded settings. Scabies infestation is characterised by a generalised intractable pruritus, and is often complicated by secondary bacterial infection, which can lead to a range of complications. Scabies is a clinical diagnosis and requires an adequate degree of suspicion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Scabies and impetigo cause direct health effects and contribute to severe infectious and immune-mediated complications. Ivermectin-based mass drug administration can reduce scabies and impetigo prevalence in island settings with high prevalence, but the effectiveness in moderate-prevalence settings is not known.
Methods: We conducted a single-arm, before-after community intervention trial.