Funders:
- National Health and Medical Research Council
Collaborators:
- Miwatj Health
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory.
Aims:
The Galiwin’ku sero-survey- Establishing the size of the problem in Galiwin’ku- “Know Your Hep B Status” - project aims to:
- To establish the sero-prevalence of chronic Hep B in Galiwin’ku.
- To look for occult Hep B infection in Galiwin’ku.
- To investigate the effect of sub-genotype C4 on vaccine efficacy.
- To give all residents of Galiwin’ku a Hep B sero-status.
Objectives:
The Hep B sero-status of all Galiwin’ku residents will be established and they will be directed to the most appropriate care pathway. Residents will know if they require treatment for Hepatitis B, vaccination against it or if they are immune.
We are trialing two different novel diagnostic tests alongside the serology tests.
Summary:
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is common in the NT, with 4% to 15% of Indigenous adults infected. HBV makes significant contribution to morbidity and mortality in the form of cirrhosis and liver cancer. This study will provide epidemiological information crucial to planning appropriate, effective and economically sustainable responses in line with the National Hepatitis B strategy and ensuring holistic Hepatitis B care is available to all patients.
Implications for policy and practice:
Although currently we see this as a research project, the methods used will serve as a pilot model for plans to determine the Hep B status of all Indigenous individuals across the Northern Territory (NT) Therefore; we are working closely with NT Remote Health and the NT Centres for Disease Control as the project progresses.
This study will provide epidemiological information crucial to planning appropriate, effective and economically sustainable responses in line with the recent released National Hep B strategy and ensuring holistic Hep B care is available to all patients.
Chief Investigators:
Project manager:
Contact information:
Project dates:
The project commenced in 2015 and is ongoing.
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Davies J, Boutlis CS, Marshall CS, Tong SYC, Davis JS. The unique aspects of chronic hepatitis B infection in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Internal Medicine Journal 48 (2018) 484-485
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Cheah BC, Davies J, Singh GR, Wood N, Jackson K, Littlejohn M, Davison B, McIntyre P, Locarnini S, Davis JS, Tong SYC. Sub-optimal protection against past hepatitis B virus infection where subtype mismatch exists between vaccine and circulating viral genotype in northern Australia. Vaccine 36 (2018) 3533-3540
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Davies J, Qin Li S, Tong SYC, Baird RW, Beaman M, Higgins G, Cowie BC, Condon JR, Davis JS. Establishing contemporary trends in hepatitis B sero-epidemiology in an Indigenous population. PLoS ONE 12(9) 2017.
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Davies J, Bukulatjpi S, Sharma S, Caldwell L, Johnston V, Davis J. Development of a Culturally Appropriate Bilingual Electronic App About Hepatitis B for Indigenous Australians: Towards Shared Understandings. 2015;4:e70.
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Littlejohn M, Davies J, Yuen L, Tong S, Davis JS, Locarnini S. Molecular virology of Hepatitis B virus, subgenotype C4 in Northern Australian Indigenous populations. Journal of Medical Virology 2014; 86: 695-706
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Davies J, Bukulatjpi S, Sharma S, Davis J, Johnston V. “Only your blood can tell the story” – a qualitative research study using semi-structured interviews to explore the hepatitis B related knowledge, perceptions and experiences of remote dwelling Indigenous Australians and their health care providers in northern Australia. BMC Public Health 2014, 14:1233
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Parker C, Tong SYC, Dempsey K, Condon J, Sharma S, Chen JWC, Sievert W, Davis JS. Hepatocellular carcinoma in Australia’s Northern Territory – high incidence and poor outcomes. Medical Journal of Australia 2014; 201(8): 470-47.
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Davies J, Littlejohn M, Locarnini SA, Whiting S, Hajkowicz K, Cowie BC, Bowden DS, Tong SYC, Davis JS. The molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B in the Indigenous people of northern Australia. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2013; 28(7): 1234-1241.
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CAAMA Podcast | Strong Voices Monday 25/09/2019
Australian researchers have used current Hepatitis B virus genome sequences to map the movement of Aboriginal people into Australia. A senior research fellow at the Menzies school of health research discusses the research paper.
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Hepatitis B DNA Helps Trace History and Movement of First Australians
The team found that hepatitis B virus isolated from these Aboriginal Australians is a unique strain called HBV/C4, which is not found anywhere else in the world.
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Hepatitis B virus sheds light on ancient human population movements
LongRoom News | Australian researchers have used current hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome sequences to deduce ancient human population movements into Australia.
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Hepatitis B virus sheds light on ancient human population movements
LongRoom News | Australian researchers have used current hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome sequences to deduce ancient human population movements into Australia.
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CRANAplus magazine | Alaska trip highlights global problem
It took a trip halfway around the world for Galiwin'ku researchers to be reminded that all Indigenous peoples face challenges of viral hepatitis.
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CRANAplus magazine | From Elcho to Alaska
A team of community-based researchers from Elcho Island, made the long journey to Anchorage to present at a conference.
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ABC online | Elcho Island researchers bound for Alaska
Three community-based researchers from Elcho Island working with Menzies School of Health Research are bound for Alaska to present at an international viral hepatitis conference.
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Elcho Island community researchers Alaska-bound
Three community-based researchers from Elcho Island working with Menzies School of Health Research are bound for Alaska to present at an international Indigenous viral hepatitis conference.