Elise Mitri

Drug Allergy Stream PhD Scholar

• PhD candidate, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne
• Project: Multidisciplinary health services approaches to low-risk penicillin allergy delabeling
• Primary Supervisor: Professor Jason Trubiano, NACE Drug Allergy Stream Co-chair
• Drug Allergy Pharmacist, Centre for Antibiotic Allergy and Research, Austin Health  

Why is this research important to you personally, and those living with drug allergy?

During my day-to-day work as a Drug Allergy Pharmacist, I see the very real impact that antibiotic allergy labels have on individual patient and health service outcomes. In both the Australian and international setting, it is well documented that antibiotic allergy labels increase the risk of inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and negatively impact broader health service outcomes, such as hospital length of stay. Improving access to antibiotic allergy delabeling pathways through multidisciplinary led health service programs, particularly in areas of Australia where access to allergy and immunology services is limited, is a significant step forward in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance. I look forward to further exploring the role of Australian pharmacists in antibiotic allergy management and potentially expanding our scope of practice to drive positive change in this space.

What inspired you to pursue a career in allergy research?

The multidisciplinary team at the Centre for Antibiotic Allergy and Research (CAAR) are leaders in Drug and Antibiotic Allergy Research. Each day, I am inspired by the team of Infectious Diseases Physicians, Immunology/Allergy Physicians, Nurses and Scientists that undertake research and clinical work across the scope of low-risk to high-risk antibiotic allergy. The opportunity to complete my PhD in a research group that has the largest academic output in drug allergy in the country is exciting. I believe our collaborative approach to this health crisis will better the lives of people impacted by drug allergy while also working towards the bigger picture of improved clinical practice, patient care and standardisation of antibiotic allergy management at a national level. If successful, this will be a significant step forward in the global fight against AMR.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Twitter: @Elise_Mitri

RECENT PUBLICATIONS:

Low-risk penicillin allergy delabeling: a scoping review of direct oral challenge practice, implementation, and multi-disciplinary approaches. Taylor & Francis Online. 12 Feb 2024

The Who, What, When, and Where of Inpatient Direct Oral Penicillin Challenge—Implications for Health Services Implementation. Clinical Infectious Diseases. Mar 2023

Improving the safety of anticoagulation initiation in patients discharged from the emergency department. Emergency Medicine Australasia. Oct 2022

Comprehensive identification of medication-related problems occurring prior to, during and after emergency department presentation: An Australian multicentre, prospective, observational study. Emergency Medicine Australasia. Jan 2020