Epidemiological consequences of enduring strain-specific immunity requiring repeated episodes of infection

Rebecca H Chisholm; Nikki Sonenberg; Jake A Lacey; Malcolm I McDonald; Manisha Pandey; Mark R Davies; Steven YC Tong; Jodie McVernon; Nicholas Geard

Journal article

Epidemiological consequences of enduring strain-specific immunity requiring repeated episodes of infection

Rebecca H Chisholm, Nikki Sonenberg, Jake A Lacey, Malcolm I McDonald, Manisha Pandey, Mark R Davies, Steven YC Tong, Jodie McVernon, Nicholas Geard

PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY | PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE | Published : 2020

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007182

Download PDF

Abstract

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) skin infections are caused by a diverse array of strain types and are highly prevalent in disadvantaged populations. The role of strain-specific immunity in preventing GAS infections is poorly understood, representing a critical knowledge gap in vaccine development. A recent GAS murine challenge study showed evidence that sterilising strain-specific and enduring immunity required two skin infections by the same GAS strain within three weeks. This mechanism of developing enduring immunity may be a significant impediment to the accumulation of immunity in populations. We used an agent-based mathematical model of GAS transmission to investigate the epidemiological co..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Steven Tong Author Infectious Diseases

Jake Lacey Author Infectious Diseases

Mark Davies Author Microbiology and Immunology

Nic Geard Author Computing and Information Systems

Rebecca Chisholm Author Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

Related Projects (4)

DEFINING OPTIMAL STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINED CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

My work helps us understand how infections spread between people, to work out the most effective use of vaccines and other protective measur..

CLINICAL AND GENOMIC ASPECTS OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AND OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

The burden of infectious disease is high in Indigenous populations in northern Australia and patterns of disease differ. My research propose..

OPTIMISING INTERVENTION STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF GROUP A STREPTOCOCCUS IN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES

Skin sores are highly prevalent in remote Australian Indigenous communities and can lead to invasive infections and rheumatic heart disease...

INTEROGATION OF THE GENOMIC EPIDEMIOLOGY AND NEPHRITOGENICITY WITHIN INDIGENOUS REGIONS ENDEMIC FOR GROUP A STREPTOCOCCAL DISEASE

Group A streptococcal (GAS) bacterial infections within the Indigenous populations of Northern Australia are amongst the highest in the worl..

Grants

Awarded by NHMRC

Awarded by NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence

Awarded by NHMRC Career Development Fellowship

Awarded by NHMRC Principal Research Fellowship

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by a University of Melbourne Early Career Researcher Grant to RHC, NHMRC project grants (APP1098319 and APP1130455), and NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence (APP1058804). SYCT is supported by an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (CDF1145033). JM is supported by an NHMRC Principal Research Fellowship (PRF1117140). MRD is supported by a University of Melbourne C.R. Roper Fellowship. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.