A team from IMB has been recognised for their pioneering research to prevent and track deadly bacterial infections in the prestigious 2024 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
Professor Mark Walker and his team, together with colleagues from the University of Melbourne, CONACYT and University of Wollongong, have won the Eureka Prize for Infectious Diseases Research for their work on preventing Streptococcus A (Strep A) outbreaks.
“Strep A bacteria are responsible for common throat infections, post-infection complications including rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease and are also the major cause of childhood diseases such as scarlet fever, which contribute to child deaths globally,” Professor Walker said.
Tracking spread of disease
Professor Mark Walker and his team formed the Strep A Outbreak Prevention Team in response to a post COVID-19 surge in Streptococcus A infections.
“The team is tracking the spread of the disease to lessen its clinical impact and ultimately improve the health of children and people at higher risk of rheumatic heart disease such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Professor Walker said.
The team has been using genomic sequencing since 2011 to track new and more virulent Strep A strains and have shown that these strains carry antibiotic resistance and toxins that have helped them disseminate across Asia and now into Australia.
In 2019, a new dominant Strep A strain (M1UK) emerged in the UK which contributed to seasonal surges of scarlet fever and an increase in invasive infections. In 2020, the Strep A Outbreak Prevention Team set up a sentinel hospital system to actively monitor for the presence of M1UK in Australia.
“We examined invasive Strep A strains collected by the health systems in South-East Queensland, and were able to identify M1UK soon after it arrived, and reported directly to health authorities who then alerted GPs,” Professor Walker explained.
Leading efforts in vaccine development
The World Health Organization has declared the development of a Strep A vaccine a major global priority.
“Using our Strep A genome database, we have interrogated all current and future Strep A vaccine antigens to assess viability and have developed a promising new vaccine that we are progressing with industry partners.”
High rates in Indigenous Australians
Strep A infections are predominantly found in geographically remote regions and where people live in poverty, the highest rates are found in low-income countries and Indigenous populations of developed countries like Australia.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the highest rates of rheumatic heart disease in the world, so it is imperative for Australia that we understand the mechanisms of the spread of the disease, and a safe vaccine would have a dramatic positive effect in these communities.”
“We are delighted to be recognised by this award and wish to thank the NHMRC, NIH, Open Philanthropy and the Leducq Foundation for their generous support.
“Our next steps are to complete preclinical studies then bring our Strep A vaccine into human trials to demonstrate safety and protective efficacy, in collaboration with our industry partners.”
The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes honour excellence in scientific discovery, invention, communication and innovation.
The team includes Professor Mark Walker, Dr Mark Davies (University of Melbourne), Dr Tania Rivera Hernandez (UQ/CONACYT), Dr Amanda Walker (IMB), Dr Stephan Brouwer (IMB) and Professor Martina Sanderson-Smith (University of Wollongong).
