STUDIES

CONDITIONS UNDER SURVEILLANCE

Since 1993 the APSU has monitored >70 rare childhood conditions that include congenital/genetic disorders, infectious/vaccine preventable studies, mental health issues and other injuries.

Protocol and Questionnaires for current studies can be found of the current studies page.

 

Severe Complications of Influenza 2024

The APSU is conducting surveillance for severe complications of influenza. This year the study will run from the 1st June 2024 until the 30th September 2024. 

Please notify any cases to the APSU as soon as possible during the study period. Case reports can be completed online or on paper.

Please report any child aged < 15 years with laboratory confirmed influenza AND admitted to hospital AND who have at least one of the following complications:

  • Pneumonia (confirmed radiologically and/or microbiology)
  • Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
  • Laboratory proven viral co-infection including COVID-19               
  • Laboratory proven  bacterial co-infection; Bacteraemia; Septicaemia 
  • Encephalitis / encephalopathy
  • Seizures (including simple febrile seizure,  prolonged or focal seizure or status epilepticus)
  • Transverse myelitis  
  • Polyneuritis / mononeuritis
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome
  • Reye Syndrome           
  • Myocarditis;  Pericarditis;  Cardiomyopathy
  • Rhabdomyolysis    
  • Purpura fulminans
  • Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy 
  • Shock (requiring >40 ml/kg fluid resuscitation)
  • Acute renal failure    
  • Death, including death at presentation to hospital
  • Requirement for supplementary oxygen, non-invasive ventilation, invasive ventilation or Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

 

Current studies listed on the APSU report card - 2024:

  • Actue flaccid paralysis (AFP) *
  • Paediatricians experience with subpoenas and court testimony related to suspected child maltreatment
  • Paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-COV-2 (PIMS-TS)
  • Severe Acute Hepatitis
  • Severe complications of influenza (FLU) (seasonal June-September inclusive)
  • Severe Injury related to Disc Battery (SIRDB)
  • Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
  • Juvenile onset Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (JoRRP)
  • Dengue
  • Q Fever
  • Congenital varicella (Vcon)
  • Neonatal varicella (Vneo)
  • Congenital cytomegalovirus infection (CMV)
  • Neonatal herpes simplex virus infection (HSV)
  • Paediatric HIV infection or perinatal exposure to HIV (HIV)
  • Congenital rubella (RUB)

* Please note that cases of AFP should be reported immediately by telephone to the Polio Laboratory on (03) 9342 9607 or email: enterovirus@mh.org.au

Enterovirus Reference Laboratory
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL)
Doherty Institute
792 Elizabeth St
Melbourne 3000 Victoria
Tel: (03) 9342 9607       Fax: (03) 9342 9665      Email: enterovirus@mh.org.au 


A comprehensive list of all studies conducted through the APSU can be found on the past studies page.