Infections & Acute Care Research Group
We investigate infectious diseases in primary care to find out how we can identify patients with serious infection in primary care, and more effective ways of diagnosing and treating patients with common infections.
We are working on a number of studies looking at how to diagnose and treat various common infectious diseases in children and adults in primary care.
Our work is important because it will help primary care clinicians to decide how best to identify which patients presenting with common symptoms such as coughs and colds are most likely to develop serious complications. This will help GPs know which patients are most likely to benefit from antibiotics. This can help to reduce unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics that is adding to resistance to antibiotics in many countries. We are running a number of very large studies to help answer these questions, which involve recruiting thousands of patients from across the UK.
We are also examining novel ways of diagnosing other infections such as whooping cough in people presenting with cough, as this may be an important cause of persistent coughing even in children and adults who have been vaccinated against this infection. We are also examining how many children with a persistent cough may have whooping cough; and trialling a drug which may be an effective treatment for persistent coughs.
In parallel, we are running trials to investigate treatments other than antibiotics for patients presenting with common cough and cold symptoms. This may give GPs and patients treatment options other than antibiotics to help relieve symptoms for these common illnesses.
Many of our researchers are major contributors to the NIHR Diagnostic Evidence Co-operative Oxford which is hosted by this department.

Our Team
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Aleksandra (Ola) Borek
Senior Qualitative Researcher in Behavioural Science
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Sarah Tonkin-Crine
Associate Professor & Health Psychologist
sarah.tonkin-crine@phc.ox.ac.uk
+44 (0)1865 289316
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Latest publications
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Genetic predisposition to metabolically unfavourable adiposity and prostate cancer risk: A Mendelian randomization analysis
Journal article
PEREZ-CORNAGO A. et al, (2023), Cancer Medicine
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Scaling-up and future sustainability of a national reproductive genetic carrier screening program
Journal article
Fehlberg Z. et al, (2023), npj Genomic Medicine
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What features are considered important for electronic safety-netting tools to UK general practice staff? An interview and Delphi consensus study.
Journal article
Friedemann Smith C. et al, (2023), BJGP Open
Current Projects:
RECENT PROJECTS
ARCHIVE PROJECTS:
Latest News
New antiviral, Paxlovid, added to PANORAMIC study
12 April 2022
Preventing long-term pain from shingles
30 March 2022
Covid-19, not vaccination, presents biggest blood clot risks
27 August 2021
COVID-19 population-based study wins journal award
10 August 2021