Objective: Assessing the Immune Response to Vaccination Following a Burn Injury
The Fiona Wood Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Western Australia and the Telethon Kids Institute, is conducting the Childhood Health and Immunity Post-burn (CHIP) research project. Previous research in children with burn injuries indicates that burn injury can impact the immune system, causing it to not function as well as it should. Vaccines enhance your immunity and shield you from illnesses. However, burn injuries might impact vaccine effectiveness, and analysing blood samples can help us comprehend the reasons behind it.
This study aims to understand the long-term impacts of burn injuries on the immune system, particularly focusing on identifying potential immune deficiencies in children who have sustained a burn injury.
To do this, we will follow two research groups of young people aged between 11 and 13 who are scheduled to receive their Year 7 vaccinations:
- Burn Injury Cohort: Participants who have experienced a burn injury.
- Uninjured Cohort: Participants with no history of burn injury.
This comparison will help us understand differences in immune responses to vaccination between the two groups.
If you and your child agree to participate in this study, all visits will take place at Perth Children’s Hospital, and the following will occur:
At the first Visit
- A baseline blood sample will be collected.
- A parent or caregiver must attend this visit with the participant.
- Your child will receive a standard dose of the DTaP booster vaccine and the Gardasil vaccine.
These vaccines are part of the Year 7 school immunisation program, so participation in this study means your child will be up to date and will not need to receive them at school. When your school sends out the consent form there is an option to decline on the online consent form. This assures that the SBIP nursing staff are aware of your choice, and you will not receive a follow-up call. Your dependant will not receive any vaccines if you have selected this option.
Further information can be found here: VaccinateWA frequently asked questions
Follow-Up Blood Samples
Additional blood samples will be collected at:
- 1 week after vaccination
- 4 weeks after vaccination
- 11–13 months after vaccination
If your child is participating with a friend, there is an option to attend follow-up visits together, accompanied by one adult—a great way to carpool and make the visits easier!
These samples will help us analyse immune cell function before and after vaccination and track any changes over a 12-month period.
Burn Injury Group
Parent Information Sheet & Consent Form – Burn Injury Group | CLICK HERE
Participant Information Sheet & Consent Form – Burn Injury Group | CLICK HERE
Uninjured Participants - Comparison Group
Parents Information Sheet/Consent Form – Control Group | CLICK HERE
Participant Information Sheet/Consent Form – Control Group| CLICK HERE
All research in Australia involving humans is reviewed by an independent group of people called a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC). The ethical aspects of this research project have been approved by the HREC of the Child and Adolescent Health Service (RGS6700). This project will be carried out according to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023). This statement has been developed to protect the interests of people who agree to participate in human research studies
Approved by Child and Adolescent Health Service ethics committee RGS number: 000000S988 v.1 03/09/2024
At the 2024 Your Impact Research Celebration, Dr. Lucy Barrett provided an update on the ongoing study Childhood Health and Immunity Post-Burn (CHIP): Assessing the Immune Response to Vaccination Following a Burn Injury.
Preliminary data comparing five participants from the burn and the control group suggested potential differences in immune responses, offering early insights into how burn injuries may affect immunity. This highlights the importance of continuing recruitment, with the study aiming to recruit 20 participants in each group to build on these findings and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the immune response post-burn.