Army Malaria Institute -
Department of Clinical Studies and Surveillance (CSS)

Mission

To conduct clinical evaluations of antimalarial drugs and vaccines against vector borne diseases (VBD), and to monitor and evaluate the occurrence of VBD in order to optimise the protection of Australian Defence Force personnel against these diseases.

Objectives

• Conduct clinical research activity on antimalarial drugs.

• Conduct clinical research activity on vaccines against Japanese encephalitis and dengue.

• Maintain the Central Malaria Register.

• Provide clinical advice on VBD to ADF personnel.

• Conduct epidemiological surveys of VBD.

Current Projects

1. Evaluation of tafenoquine for short duration deployments.

2. Comparative evaluation of the safety and tolerability of different courses of primaquine for post exposure prophylaxis of malaria.

3. Assessment of different packaging of Primaquine in compliance with post exposure prophylaxis of malaria.

4. Evaluation of "risk perception" by ADF personnel on compliance with primaquine post exposure prophylaxis of malaria.

5. Evaluation of safety and tolerability of MalaroneÔ for malaria prophylaxis in an operational setting.

6. Randomised, double blind, phase 2 study of the safety, immunogenicity and duration of immunity of ChimerivaxÔ - JE, live attenuated vaccine.

7. Evaluation of the safety and immunogenicity of ChimerivaxÔ - JE, live attenuated vaccine given as a booster dose to personnel who have received a primary course of Biken JE vaccine.

8. Evaluation of the safety and immunogenicity of ChimerivaxÔ - JE, live attenuated vaccine and StamarilÒ yellow fever vaccine and assessment of any interference between these vaccines.

9. Assessment of the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity and duration of immunity of the WRAIR JE-PIV inactivated Japanese encephalitis vaccine.

10. Evaluation of promising candidate Dengue vaccines for trial by the ADF.

11. Upgrade the existing Central Malaria Register to facilitate remote reporting of malaria cases in the ADF.

12. Development of a VDB Register in the ADF to monitor the incidence of other VBD.

13. In conjunction with the Centre for Military and Veterans Health (CMVH) develop tropical medicine course component for the Master of Military Medicine.

Recently Completed Activities

2000-2002 Tafenoquine Eradication studies, East Timor.

2000-2001: Tafenoquine Prophylaxis studies, East Timor.

2000-2001: Tafenoquine treatment of recurring vivax malaria, Australia.

2001-2002: Mefloquine prophylaxis trials, East Timor.

2002-2003: Primaquine eradication studies, Australia.

Collaborators

Australian

1. QPHARM.

2. Centre for Military and Veterans Health.

3. Queensland Medical Laboratories, Clinical Trials Unit.

International

1. Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, USA.

2. Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Thailand.

3. US Navy Malaria Research Unit-2, Indonesia.

4. GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, UK and Australia.

5. Centre for Vaccine Development, Mahidol University, Thailand.

6. Acambis Research, UK and USA.