Trichomonas Vaginalis: Prevalence In An Urban Indigenous Population And Validation Of New Assays
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$88,880.00
Summary
The infection called trichomonas is the commonest sexually transmitted infection (STI) world-wide. It is caused by a parasite and is particularly common amongst disadvantaged, poor communities. It is important to diagnose and treat (readily available treatments exist) this infection because it is linked with early birth in pregnant women and increases the spread of HIV-AIDS virus. The diagnosis has not changed for decades until recently, when a new more sensitive test became available.Wehave ada ....The infection called trichomonas is the commonest sexually transmitted infection (STI) world-wide. It is caused by a parasite and is particularly common amongst disadvantaged, poor communities. It is important to diagnose and treat (readily available treatments exist) this infection because it is linked with early birth in pregnant women and increases the spread of HIV-AIDS virus. The diagnosis has not changed for decades until recently, when a new more sensitive test became available.Wehave adapted it to work on self-collected specimens such as in-out tampons or urines. Proof that this new diagnostic tool is better, is needed in Australia in high-risk groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities where other STIs have already been shown to be at high rates. How this parasite causes disease in humans is poorly studied. We plan to test this new diagnostic method and compare it to traditional tests in a high-risk population and to ultimately study how the parasite causes disease.Read moreRead less
Stress During Pregnancy And The Developmental Origins Of Renal Disease In Aboriginal Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$866,044.00
Summary
There is an epidemic of renal failure in Aboriginal people who also have high rates of premature birth of small babies. This project aims to understand the causes of kidney failure in Aboriginal people through testing if stress during pregnancy leads to the birth of preterm, small babies with small poorly formed kidneys that lead to kidney failure in later life. The effect of stressors impacting on pregnant women including infections, exposure to smoking and social stressors will be examined.