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Infection and Immunology

Pediatric infection and immunology has the main research focus on severe infections in children and on children with inborn errors of immunity (IEI).

About the group

Our research group has two main goals: improving the diagnostics and treatment of children with severe infections and study the immunological mechanisms, improving treatment and follow up of children with inborn errors of immunity.

We are a Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center from 2014 and ERN-RITA member from 2022 and the Norwegian Reference Center for DiGeorge-syndrome since 2008.

Ongoing studies

  • Best Available Treatment Study (BATS) (Treatment of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C))
  • Norwegian Enhanced Pediatric Immunization Surveillance Network (NorEPIS) studies: 1) The Rotavirus study; 2) Respiratory infections in children and young people in Norway
  • Disease burden of Enterovirus and Parechovirus associated CNS infections in Norway (in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, OUS and FHI)
  • Hematological and immunological studies of patients with DiGeorge syndrome and other microdeletion syndromes
  • 22q11 syndromes and psychiatric illness, sub-study in the BUPGEN project
  • Severe immunodeficiency and unexpected infant death (a nationwide study on infant death before the age of 2)
  • STAT1 Gain of Function gene editing study. (CRISPR-Cas gene therapy to improve immunological competence in patients with this type of immunodeficiency)
  • Subcutaneous immunoglobulin infusions in infants and pre-school children with primary immunodeficiency; use and efficacy.
  • Subcutaneous immunoglobulin infusions in infants and pre-school children with primary immunodeficiency; weekly or bi-weekly infusions?

Collaboration

We collaborate with partners in Norway and abroad. 

National partners

  • Newborn screening, Oslo University Hospital (OUH)
  • Department of medical genetics, OUH
  • Department of microbiology, OUH
  • Institute of Immunology, University of Oslo
  • The Institute of Public Health
  • Section for medical genetics, Telemark Hospital

International partners

  • Andy Gennery, Great North Children´s Hospital, Newcastle, UK

  • Austin Worth/Graham Davies, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK

  • Adilia Warris, The Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK

Selected publications

  • Immunoglobulin, glucocorticoid, or combination therapy for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: a propensity-weighted cohort study. S Channon-Wells et al.  Knudsen PK as part Best Available Treatment Study (BATS) consortium. Lancet Rheumatol. 2023

  • Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalisation in children and adolescents in Norway: a nationwide population-based study. Størdal K, Ruiz PL, Greve-Isdahl M, Surén P, Knudsen PK, Gulseth HL, Tapia G. BMJ Open. 2022
  • The incidence of infectious diseases and viruses other than SARS-CoV-2 amongst hospitalised children in Oslo, Norway during the Covid-19 pandemic 2020-2021. Knudsen PK, Lind A, Klundby I, Dudman S. J Clin Virol Plus. 2022
  • The burden of respiratory syncytial virus in children under 5 years of age in Norway. Havdal LB, Bøås H, Bekkevold T, Kran AB, Rojahn AE, Størdal K, Debes S, Døllner H, Nordbø SA, Barstad B, Haarr E, Fernández LV, Nakstad B, Inchley C, Flem E. J Infect. 2022
  • Risk factors associated with severe disease in respiratory syncytial virus infected children under 5 years of age. Havdal LB, Bøås H, Bekkevold T, Bakken Kran AM, Rojahn AE, Størdal K, Debes S, Døllner H, Nordbø SA, Barstad B, Haarr E, Fernández LV, Nakstad B, Inchley C, Flem E. Front Pediatr. 2022
  • The burden of hospital-attended influenza in Norwegian children. Bøås H, Bekkevold T, Havdal LB, Kran AB, Rojahn AE, Størdal K, Debes S, Døllner H, Nordbø SA, Barstad B, Haarr E, Vázquez Fernández L, Nakstad B, Leegaard TM, Hungnes O, Flem E; Norwegian Enhanced Pediatric Immunisation Surveillance (NorEPIS) Network. Front Pediatr. 2022

 

Published Dec. 8, 2023 1:41 PM - Last modified Oct. 29, 2024 2:24 PM

Contact

Participants

  • Tore Gunnar Abrahamsen University of Oslo
  • Per Kristian Knudsen
  • Astrid Rojahn
  • Ingvild Ask
  • Dina Aresvik Grinde
  • Kari Lima
  • Torstein Øverland
  • Jintana Bunpan Andersen
  • Karen Marie Lundeby
  • Karen Helene Bronken Martinsen
  • Janne Baust
  • Irene Urnes Tjernlund
  • Asbjørg Stray-Pedersen
  • Jochen Büchner
Detailed list of participants