Bacterial infections and sepsis continue to be major causes of death in our region. We are identifying predictors of death and new mechanisms underlying severe infection. Currently we are studying new ways to treat and improve the outcome of sepsis. We are currently leading randomised controlled trials of new strategies for the treatment of MRSA (golden staph) blood stream infection, cellulitis, and severe sepsis.

Pneumonia is the most common focus of infection in patients presenting with sepsis at Royal Darwin Hospital. We have recently completed studies demonstrating that the SMARTCOP scoring system (a clinical risk stratification score) works effectively in our setting for predicting which patients are at high risk of dying, and certainly outperforms the more commonly used and complicated PSI score. Acinetobacter baumanii is a bacterium which can cause severe community-acquired pneumonia in tropical areas. We are currently completing analysis of the largest prospective cohort study of such infections in the published literature. Using these pneumonia studies, we have recently updated management guidelines for pneumonia in tropical northern Australia.

In addition, we are investigating the clinical and molecular epidemiology of severe community acquired infections in the Top End, including Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus aureus and Group A streptococcus.

Staff: Josh Davis, Steven Tong, Nick Anstey
Students: Christopher Parker
Collaborators: Royal Brisbane and Womens’ Hospital, University of Queensland; Princess Alexandra Hospital