Infectious Diseases' basic research projects included studies of the mechanisms that regulate the replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and development of gene therapies to suppress replication. Work included:

• A study of duck hepatitis B virus infection as a model for human hepatitis B virus, to develop improved vaccines and strategies to treat persistently infected individuals (carriers).
• Analysis of latency and immune responses in herpes simplex infection.
• Investigation of virulence factors in Legionella infection.
• Study of cytokine patterns in patients with Q-fever-associated chronic fatigue syndrome, in order to clarify mechanisms of disease and develop more specific therapies.

Diagnostically-related research included development and evaluation of rapid screening assays for toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains, evaluation of new assays for detection and typing of a number of organisms including hepatitis C and G viruses, Ross River virus, Chlamydia trachomalis, Leptospira spp., the commencement of a major program developing assays for gastroenteritis viruses and the commencement of a study of hepatitis C infection and immunological deficiencies.

Research Summaries:

• Projects:
• Molecular basis of the virulence of Aeromonas hydrophila
• Antigenic epitope mapping of the M24 protein of Streptococcus pyogenes: Implications for the sero-diagnosisof rheumatic fever
• Epidemiological studies of Salmonella using serotyping, plasmid, chromosomal and PCR analysis
• Genetic and functional studies of the Mip protein of Legionella
• Genetic characterisation of the outer membrane proteins of Legionella longbeachae and their role in pathogenesis
• Duck hepatitis B virus research
• Papillomavirus Research
• AIDS Research
• Herpes Research Laboratory
• Q Fever Research

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