Global Health
Newborn and childhood infectious diseases and mortality in low resource settings
The integrated newborn care kit (iNCK) transition to scale study in Gilgit-Baltistan builds on prior pilot projects iNCK in Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan and iNCK in Kwale, Kenya.
The objective of this cluster randomized study is to determine if the distribution of an inexpensive package of interventions, each designed to reduce newborn or maternal morbidities, by Lady Health Workers in the third trimester of pregnancy can reduce newborn deaths. We aim to enroll over 20,000 women by 2025.
Interested in supporting our work? Donate to the iNCK study through Global Giving.
The prevention of Rhesus (Rh) disease of newborns in Pakistan
Rhesus (Rh) hemolytic disease is a preventable disease of the newborn that is caused by an incompatibility between maternal and fetal red blood cells. Rh disease can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or early newborn death, and among surviving newborns, the disease can lead to severe jaundice, anemia, long-term developmental delays and death. Despite the availability of effective screening and prevention strategies that have contributed to the near eradication of Rh disease in high-income countries, the burden of Rh disease remains disproportionately high in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Our group conducted a pilot study in Pakistan of a point-of-care test for the identification of Rh-negative women.
Vaccine Preventable Diseases
Dr. Morris has played a leading role in national infectious disease surveillance networks including Canada’s Immunization Monitoring Program ACTive (IMPACT) and the Canadian Pediatric Surveillance Program (CPSP), both of which are joint projects of the Canadian Pediatric Society and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
He is the SickKids lead site investigator for IMPACT, a paediatric hospital-based national active surveillance network for adverse events following immunization, vaccine failures and selected infectious diseases that are, or will be, vaccine preventable. Dr. Morris is the co-data captain for the COVID-19 and influenza working groups. Download the IMPACT network publications and presentations list (PDF).
The CPSP provides an innovative means to undertake active paediatric surveillance and increase awareness of childhood disorders that are high in disability, morbidity, mortality and economic cost to society, despite their low frequency. Dr. Morris has served as a primary investigator for multiple studies through the CPSP including on childhood COVID-19 hospitalization and risk factors for severe disease, MIS-C, paediatric tuberculosis and congenital zika syndrome. He is currently a member of the CPSP Scientific Steering Committee.
Dr. Morris is the SickKids lead investigator for the Special Immunization Clinic (SIC) Network which was established in 2013 by infectious disease specialists and allergists to improve immunization practices for patients who had experienced adverse events following immunization (AEFI) and those who have medical conditions that may affect their response to immunizations. The SIC network is conducting multiple research studies including related to varicella immunization in solid organ transplant recipients, the safety of rotavirus vaccines in infants of mothers who received biologic immunomodulators during pregnancy, optimizing the clinical management of patients with contraindication to vaccination and those with AEFI and COVID-19 vaccine safety.
In 2023, Dr. Morris assumed the position of Chair of the Paediatric Investigators Collaborative Network on Infections in Canada (PICNIC).
COVID-19
We study the direct and indirect effects of COVID–19, MIS–C, and COVID–19 vaccination in children. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Morris has led, co-led, and collaborated on multiple studies about COVID–19, MIS-C, and COVID–19 vaccination in children in Canada and internationally. These include:
Travel & Tropical Medicine
Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world with a large amount of international travel. As a result of this travel, infections normally seen in other countries may be imported into Canada and steps must also be taken to reduce the risk to children and families who are travelling. Dr. Morris is the physician lead of the SickKids Family Travel Clinic and has incorporated multiple research projects into this clinic including studies on risk perception, concurrence with travel plans and impact on risk and adherence to recommendations.
Dr. Morris is the site lead investigator for GeoSentinel, a global clinician-based sentinel surveillance system of specialized travel and tropical medicine clinics that monitors infectious diseases and other travel-related conditions among international travelers and migrants. GeoSentinel is a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM).
Additional research related to children’s tropical and travel medicine includes that related to malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis and measles.