Investigators: Amy Baker, Asha Bowen, Christine Everest, Joe Kado, Jonathan Carapetis, Rebecca Trowman, Robert Hand
External collaborators: Anna Ralph (Menzies School of Health Research), Josh Francis (Menzies School of Health Research), Laurens Manning (University of Western Australia), Kevin Batty (Curtin University of Technology), Sam Salman (University of Western Australia), Zoe Fisher (Danila Dilba Health Service)
This is a 6 month cohort study involving participants at Danila Dilba Health Service, prescribed BPG for secondary prophylaxis of RHD. Dry blood spot (DBS) samples & throat swabs will be collected from each child. DBS samples will be used to measure plasma penicillin levels & group A streptococcal (GAS) antibody titres immediately prior to BPG administration & at pre-specified time points within each BPG cycle. Throat swabs will be cultured to determine the presence of GAS infection.