Young people's preferences and motivations for STI partner notification: observational findings from the 2024 Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll survey.

Background Partner notification is an important step in the control of sexually transmissible infections (STIs). STIs remain at high rates among young people and can have serious reproductive consequences if left untreated. This study aimed to determine the preferences and motivations for partner notification among young people in Australia.

Randomised trial of same vs opposite arm co-administration of inactivated influenza and SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines.

Background: The immunogenicity of current influenza vaccines need improvement. Inactivated influenza and COVID-19 mRNA vaccines can be co-administered but randomized controlled trial data is lacking on whether the two vaccines are more immunogenic if given in the same or opposite arms. Murine studies suggest mRNA vaccines can adjuvant influenza vaccines when co-formulated and delivered together.

Biomarkers.

Background: In Alzheimer's disease (AD), a major gap remains in the understanding of how the interplay between peripheral and central immune systems drives neuroinflammation and disease progression. More recently, the concept of brain lymph drainage has sparked interest as it may shed light on how the dynamics of T cell interactions contribute to AD. Our preliminary study aims to characterize alterations in the peripheral blood lymphocyte population among individuals with AD-dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), as compared with cognitively unimpaired (CU) individuals.

Inferring effects of mutations on SARS-CoV-2 transmission from genomic surveillance data.

New and more transmissible variants of SARS-CoV-2 have arisen multiple times over the course of the pandemic. Rapidly identifying mutations that affect transmission could improve our understanding of viral biology and highlight new variants that warrant further study. Here we develop a generic, analytical epidemiological model to infer the transmission effects of mutations from genomic surveillance data.

The Impact of Obesity on Influenza Vaccine Immunogenicity and Antibody Transfer to the Infant During Pregnancy.

Background/objectives: Influenza vaccination is recommended for pregnant women, offering the dual benefit of protecting pregnant women and their newborn infants against influenza. This study aimed to investigate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on influenza vaccine responses in pregnant women and their newborns.

Methods: Participants included pregnant women attending the Women's and Children's Hospital in South Australia between 2018 and 2021.

Ferric carboxymaltose for anemia in late pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial.

Over 46% of African pregnant women are anemic. Oral iron is recommended but often suboptimal, particularly late in pregnancy. Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) could treat anemia in women in the third trimester in sub-Saharan Africa.

Piloting an external quality assurance program (QAP) for COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs): findings and lessons learned from Cambodia.

Rapid antigen diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) that quickly and accurately identify SARS-CoV-2 are an essential part of the COVID-19 response, but multiple factors can affect the validity of Ag-RDTs results. In Cambodia, several commercial Ag-RDTs have become available since the COVID-19 outbreak, but quality control (QC) and external quality assurance (EQA) of these rapid tests have yet to be fully and systematically implemented. We collaborated with laboratory experts in Australia and piloted an EQA programme of the commonly used COVID-19 Ag-RDTs at the University of Health Sciences' MERIEUX Laboratory (Tier 1 site-responsible for the in-country receipt and distribution of QA material) and four other participating laboratories (Tier 2-healthcare facility based) between November 2021 and November 2022.

Target product profile for cell-based and gene-based therapies to achieve a cure for HIV.

This target product profile (TPP) highlights the minimal and optimal characteristics for ex-vivo and in-vivo cell and gene therapy-based products aimed at achieving an HIV cure (ie, durable antiretroviral-free viral control). The need for an effective, safe, scalable, affordable, accessible, and acceptable cure for HIV infection remains a major global priority. The possibilities for cell and gene therapy-based products for an HIV cure are rapidly expanding.

Malaria monoclonals block brain binding.

In Plasmodium falciparum malaria, infected cells accumulate in blood vessels of organs, including the brain. Recently, Reyes et al. identified monoclonal antibodies that stop infected cells from binding to the endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) in a model of brain blood vessels.

Parameters for one health genomic surveillance of Escherichia coli from Australia.

Genomics is a cornerstone of modern pathogen epidemiology yet demonstrating transmission in a One Health context is challenging, as strains circulate and evolve within and between diverse hosts and environments. To identify phylogenetic linkages and better define relevant measures of genomic relatedness in a One Health context, we collated 5471 Escherichia coli genome sequences from Australia originating from humans (n = 2996), wild animals (n = 870), livestock (n = 649), companion animals (n = 375), environmental sources (n = 292) and food (n = 289) spanning over 36 years. Of the 827 multi-locus sequence types (STs) identified, 10 STs were commonly associated with cross-source genomic clusters, including the highly clonal ST131, pandemic zoonotic lineages such as ST95, and emerging human ExPEC ST1193.

Mucosal vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 using recombinant influenza viruses delivering self-assembling nanoparticles.

Recombinant influenza viruses are promising vectors that can bolster antibody and resident lymphocyte responses within mucosal sites. This study evaluates recombinant influenza viruses with SARS-CoV-2 RBD genes in eliciting mucosal and systemic responses. Using reverse genetics, we generated replication-competent recombinant influenza viruses carrying heterologous RBD genes in monomeric, trimeric, or ferritin-based nanoparticle forms.

Mentorship advances antimicrobial use surveillance systems in low- and middle-income countries.

A shortage of trained personnel poses significant challenges to implementing antimicrobial use (AMU) surveillance systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Traditional training models, such as workshops, seminars and online courses, often lack the sustained engagement and support necessary for deep learning and skill mastery. This article advocates for mentorship as an effective training method for AMU professionals in LMICs.

Latent Tuberculosis Infection Amongst Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: The Impact of Routine Pretransplant Review by a Transplant Infectious Diseases Physician.

Background: Identifying patients with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is challenging. This is particularly true amongst immunocompromised hosts, in whom the diagnostic accuracy of available tests is limited. The authors evaluated the impact of routine pretransplant review by a transplant infectious diseases (TID) physician on LTBI screening in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) recipients.

SLAMF7 defines subsets of human effector CD8 T cells.

Long-term control of viral replication relies on the efficient differentiation of memory T cells into effector T cells during secondary immune responses. Recent findings have identified T cell precursors for both memory and exhausted T cells, suggesting the existence of progenitor-like effector T cells. These cells can persist without antigenic challenge but expand and acquire effector functions upon recall immune responses.

Burkholderia cenocepacia outbreak linked to taps in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Background: Burkholderia cenocepacia complex is an important cause of hospital acquired infections. We describe the management of an outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to tap colonisation.

Methods: Microbiological testing of touch (n = 26) and non-touch taps (n = 28), sinks and drains, including genomic sequencing of selected isolates.

Immunogenicity, Reactogenicity, and Safety of a Pentavalent Meningococcal ABCWY Vaccine in Adolescents and Young Adults who had Previously Received a Meningococcal ACWY Vaccine: Phase 3, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Study.

Background: A MenABCWY vaccine containing 4CMenB and MenACWY-CRM vaccine components has been developed to protect against the five meningococcal serogroups that cause most invasive disease cases.

Methods: In this phase 3 study (NCT04707391), healthy participants aged 15-25 years, who had received MenACWY vaccination ≥4 years previously, were randomized (1:1) to receive two MenABCWY doses six months apart or one MenACWY-CRM dose. Primary objectives were to demonstrate the non-inferiority of MenABCWY 1 month post-vaccination versus MenACWY-CRM, with a lower limit of 2-sided 95% confidence interval above -10% for group differences in 4-fold rise in human serum bactericidal antibody (hSBA) titers against serogroups ACWY, and to evaluate reactogenicity and safety.

Exploring cytokine outputs for diagnostics in drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS).

Background: In an exploratory study to assess the potential to individualize T-cell diagnostics in antibiotic-associated severe T-cell mediated hypersensitivity, we focused on drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) and the related cytokine outputs IL-4 and IL-5.

Methods: Patients with well-phenotyped RegiSCAR ≥4 DRESS, positive intradermal skin testing, and a previous negative IFN-γ Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSpot (ELISpot) assay were prospectively recruited. We specifically performed an ELISpot assay with IL-4 and IL-5 cytokine outputs.

Terahertz scanning near-field optical microscopy for biomedical detection: Recent advances, challenges, and future perspectives.

Terahertz (THz) radiation is widely recognized as a non-destructive, label-free, and highly- sensitive tool for biomedical detections. Nevertheless, its application in precision biomedical fields faces challenges due to poor spatial resolution caused by intrinsically long wavelength characteristics. THz scanning near-field optical microscopy (THz-SNOM), which surpasses the Rayleigh criterion, offers micrometer and nanometer-scale spatial resolution, making it possible to perform precise bioinspection with THz imaging.

Shifts in seasonal influenza patterns in Australia during and after COVID-19: A comprehensive analysis.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, seasonal influenza virus circulation was heavily suppressed worldwide. In Australia, since the virus re-emerged in 2022, shifts in seasonal influenza patterns have been observed. Both the 2022 and 2023 seasons started earlier than pre-pandemic norms and were categorised as moderate to severe, highlighting the renewed importance of prevention strategies for seasonal influenza.

Improving the reporting of metagenomic virome-scale data.

Over the last decade metagenomic sequencing has facilitated an increasing number of virome-scale studies, leading to an exponential expansion in understanding of virus diversity. This is partially driven by the decreasing costs of metagenomic sequencing, improvements in computational tools for revealing novel viruses, and an increased understanding of the key role that viruses play in human and animal health. A central concern associated with this remarkable increase in the number of virome-scale studies is the lack of broadly accepted "gold standards" for reporting the data and results generated.

NIS-Seq enables cell-type-agnostic optical perturbation screening.

Optical pooled screening offers a broader-scale alternative to enrichment-based perturbation screening, using fluorescence microscopy to correlate phenotypes and perturbations across single cells. Previous methods work well in large, transcriptionally active cell lines, because they rely on cytosolic detection of endogenously expressed barcoded transcripts; however, they are limited by reliable cell segmentation, cytosol size, transcriptional activity and cell density. Nuclear In-Situ Sequencing (NIS-Seq) expands this technology by creating bright sequencing signals directly from nuclear genomic DNA to screen nucleated cells at high density and high library complexity.

Induction of Fc-dependent functional antibodies against different variants of SARS-CoV-2 varies by vaccine type and prior infection.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 transmission and COVID-19 disease severity is influenced by immunity from natural infection and/or vaccination. Population-level immunity is complicated by the emergence of viral variants. Antibody Fc-dependent effector functions are as important mediators in immunity.

Protektem pikinini blong yu trial: protocol for a single arm field trial to assess the effectiveness of treating-all pregnant women with hepatitis B infection with tenofovir prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission in Vanuatu, 2024-2025.

Background: Hepatitis B infection is a major public health concern in Vanuatu, with approximately 9% of the general population estimated to be living with chronic hepatitis B. Most new infections are due to mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). Hepatitis B vaccination is available in Vanuatu, but coverage rates for first dose within 24 h of birth and third dose are suboptimal.