Can Skin Infection With Group A Streptococcus Cause Acute Rheumatic Fever?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$459,450.00
Summary
It is traditionally taught that the cause of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is always infection of the throat with the bacterium group A streptococcus (GAS). However, in Aboriginal communities of the Top End of the Northern Territory the incidence of ARF is the highest reported in the world, yet GAS is uncommonly isolated from the throat. There is further information to suggest that GAS skin sores may underlie many cases of ARF. If this were proven, it would completely alter the traditional view of ....It is traditionally taught that the cause of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is always infection of the throat with the bacterium group A streptococcus (GAS). However, in Aboriginal communities of the Top End of the Northern Territory the incidence of ARF is the highest reported in the world, yet GAS is uncommonly isolated from the throat. There is further information to suggest that GAS skin sores may underlie many cases of ARF. If this were proven, it would completely alter the traditional view of the cause of ARF, and have important implications for prevention of ARF around the world. Presently, these approaches focus on diagnosing and treating sore throat, but no country has proven that such a program can be successful in substantially reducing new cases of ARF. If it was known that skin infection could lead to ARF, then countries (including Australia) could emphasise the importance of skin health programs. A further benefit of this knowledge would be to influence GAS vaccine development, which presently is largely focused on the prevention of sore throat. A different possibility has recently been raised - that the cause of ARF may not always be GAS, but instead that the related bacteria GCS and GGS may have the potential to cause this disease. Proof of this hypothesis would even more dramatically alter our understanding of disease causation, prevention, and vaccine development. We propose to determine the cause of ARF in Aboriginal communities by regularly swabbing families of people with a history of ARF, and using genetic fingerprinting of the bacteria from the skin and throat swabs. When cases of ARF occur, we will be able to determine the site and type of infection that precipitated the attack. We will conduct a related study in more communities, in which we will swab family members of people with ARF and of control families (without ARF) to determine the bacteria most commonly isolated from ARF families.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE160100015
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
An Ultra High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Facility for Lipidomics Research. An ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry facility for lipidomics research:
This proposal aims to establish an ultra-high-resolution, accurate mass spectrometry facility in Australia for comprehensive lipidomics research. The platform would consist of a Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Fusion mass spectrometer interfaced with ultra-high-pressure high-performance liquid chromatography. This proposal will address a major need ....An Ultra High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Facility for Lipidomics Research. An ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry facility for lipidomics research:
This proposal aims to establish an ultra-high-resolution, accurate mass spectrometry facility in Australia for comprehensive lipidomics research. The platform would consist of a Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Fusion mass spectrometer interfaced with ultra-high-pressure high-performance liquid chromatography. This proposal will address a major need for advanced mass spectrometry-based lipid analysis capabilities across mammalian, plant, parasite, and microalgae research disciplines, as well as enabling fundamental studies of lipid separation, chemistry and reactivity. The instrumentation would be applicable to a diverse range of projects including studies of the role of lipid metabolism in mammalian biochemistry and cell biology, plant biology and parasitology, and micro algae biofuel production.Read moreRead less