Epidemiology and surveillance to understand patterns of disease and disease transmission in human populations, and development of innovative approaches for surveillance. One Health studies focusing on the epidemiology and ecology of infection in animals, and their association with the environment and human health.
Research projects
Defining host and parasite mechanisms that drive asymptomatic malaria
- Prof. Alyssa Barry
- Prof. Leanne Robinson
- Dr. Kirsty McCann
- Deakin University
- Burnet Institute
- Ehime Uni
- Case Western Reserve University
Population Health, asymptomatic, disease control, infectious disease, malaria transmission
Despite unprecedented success in reducing the global burden of malaria by over 50% in the past two decades, recent data from the WHO shows that progress has stalled, and the disease has resurged in some areas. Defining and addressing the key factors leading to faltering control is a major research priority to ensure continued reduction of malaria. Molecular surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum, the most common and virulent human malaria parasite, has revealed a high prevalence of low-density asymptomatic infections. These infections fuel ongoing transmission yet are beyond the scope of current malaria control programs. Furthermore, the proportion of infections that are asymptomatic increases with declining transmission suggesting that current control efforts may select for avirulent parasites.
This project aims to determine the host and parasite factors underlying the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria at different stages in the elimination timeline throughout Papua New Guinea. We use var genes, Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and Whole Genome data to understand protective immunity, antigenic diversity and parasite population structure. An alternative explanation for a high interdependent relationship between parasite diversity and immunity is strong natural selection against virulent parasites, due to the extended focus on clinical case management. Genome-wide scans of selection using parasite genomic data will therefore reveal loci under selection during population decline that may contribute to avirulent parasite phenotypes.
- Prof. Leanne Robinson
- Prof. Takafumi Tsuboi
- Prof. James Kazura
Malaria parasite genomic surveillance to understand transmission dynamics and drug resistance in Cambodia
- Prof. Alyssa Barry
- Dr Kirsty McCann
- Deakin University
- Burnet Institute
- Institut Pasteaur Cambodia
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI)
Drug resistance, parasite transmission, population health, surveillance, genomics
Genomic analysis of remaining Plasmodium falciparum infections throughout Cambodia will improve our understanding on persisting pockets of high malaria risk, asymptomatic infections and the emergence and spread of multi-drug resistance. This research is essential to implement appropriate treatment plans to reach the national goal of malaria elimination by 2025. The whole genome of 29 P. falciparum isolates were sequenced that were collected from patients with clinical malaria residing in the Kaev Seima District in the Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia. Through whole genome sequencing we identified high-quality genotypes to investigate P. falciparum population structure in Mondulkiri Province compared with 1) MalariaGen Pf3kv5 collected data of neighbouring countries, 2) structure between Cambodian provinces and 3) within Mondulkiri Province. We filtered the dataset to identify known drug resistant genes including crt, mdr1, dhfr, dhps and kelch13. We identified variants associated with resistance to multiple antimalarials within these Cambodian isolates with high levels of IBD driving population structure. Most Cambodian isolate genomes contained markers associated with resistance against Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine, Chloroquine Amodiaquine Quinine and Artemisinin treatments.
- Dr Benoit Witkowski
- Dr Amelie Vantaux
- Prof. Leanne Robinson
- Prof. Ivo Mueller
Development of a Coxiella burnetii vaccine
- Dr John Stenos
- Prof Stephen R. Graves
Meredith Goat DairyAustralian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP).
Vaccine Development
The aim of this project is to develop an endogenous vaccine that will protect goats from the C. burnetii pathogen. Initially the agent was isolated from the endemic farm and then amplified at the ACDP. Following inactivation it will be used to vaccinate the goats. The vaccine needs to be approved and licensed by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. This regulatory process requires the vaccine to be manufactured under GMP conditions. Once we have vaccinated the animals we will gauge the efficacy of the delivery by monitoring both, animals and their immediate environment for the presence of C. burnetii.
Sandy Cameron, Denise Airey, Melissa Ferguson, Ellie Vlamis, Grace Wrigley
Troublesome Ticks: Determining the aetiology of DSCATT in Australia
- Prof Peter Irwin
- Dr Amanda Barbosa
- Prof Stephen R. Graves
Centre for Biosecurity and One Health, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University. Emergency Department, Northern Beaches Hospital, Sydney. School of Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney.
Sydney Medical School, Sydney University. School of Medicine, University of Western Australia. College of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, Murdoch University
Discovering the causative agent of DSCATT
This is a four-year longitudinal study of patients with tick bite that aims to provide a scientifically valid, evidence-based understanding of the cause(s) of debilitating symptom complexes attributed to ticks (DSCATT). With current uncertainty about the aetiology of DSCATT, our proposal will encompass clinical, psychological, and laboratory testing of tick bite patients, and matched controls, to better define the illness and to determine if infectious organism(s) are contributing to the symptom complexes. Utilising routine pathology, immune profiling, phenomics and advanced molecular testing on samples collected at the time of tick bite, together with psychological profiling, and at subsequent occasions up to 12 months, we will determine if persistent and/or recurrent infection with microbes found in Australian ticks are directly associated with clinical, psychological and/or laboratory markers.
This study, funded by the NHMRC, builds upon our recognised research and is informed by our team of experienced clinicians and medical scientists with expertise in vector-borne diseases, microbiology, epidemiology, immunology, and molecular biology. We are uniquely placed to analyse samples collected from people bitten by ticks (n=900), and from controls (n=1,800) living in the same geographical locations.
Michelle Long, Wenna Lee,Jill M. Austen, Mike Cunneen, Andrew Ratchford, Brian Burns, Prasad Kumarasinghe, Rym Ben-Othman, Tobias R. Kollmann ,Cameron R. Stewart, Miles Beaman, Rhys Parry, Roy Hall, Ala Tabor, Justine O’Donovan, Helen M. Faddy, Marjorie Collins, Allen C. Cheng, Charlotte L. Oskam and Una M. Ryan
Amanda Barbosa et al. The Troublesome Ticks Research Protocol: Developing a Comprehensive, Multidiscipline Research Plan for Investigating Human Tick-Associated Disease in Australia. Pathogens 2022, 11(11), 1290; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11111290
Development of a non-reactogenic human Q fever vaccine
- Dr Stephen R. Graves
- Dr John Stenos
Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory
Human vaccination against Q fever
This project involves growing the phase 1 (virulent) bacterium Coxiella burnetii in axenic medium and extracting the O-polysaccharide of the bacterial lipopolysaccharide cell wall. The purified polysaccharide is then conjugated to tetanus toxoid to convert it into a vaccine. The vaccine is tested in guinea pigs, as this infection model mimics acute Q fever infection in humans. Guinea pigs are monitored for fever and loss of weight after challenge infection with C. burnetii. To date the vaccine seems to protect guinea pigs from fever and loss of weight. The long term objective is to test the new vaccine in humans as a phase 1 trial.
Deakin University, NSW Department of Primary Industries
Graves et al (2022) “An O-specific polysaccharide/tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine induces protection in guinea pigs against virulent challenge with Coxiella burnetii.” Vaccines, 10, 1393.