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Acute rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disorder resulting from Group A Streptococcus pharyngitis or impetigo in children and adolescents, which may evolve to rheumatic heart disease (RHD) with persistent cardiac valve damage. RHD causes substantial mortality and morbidity globally, predominantly among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, with an interplay of social determinants of health and genetic factors determining overall risk.
The in-vivo plasma concentration of penicillin needed to prevent Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis, recurrent acute rheumatic fever, and progressive rheumatic heart disease is not known. We used a human challenge model to assess the minimum penicillin concentration required to prevent streptococcal pharyngitis.
We explore the contemporary landscape of housing investments and initiatives seeking to improve health outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, as well as the dearth of quality evidence and agreed approaches to evaluation.
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is underdiagnosed globally resulting in missed treatment opportunities and adverse clinical outcomes. We describe the protocol for a study which aims to co-design, implement and conduct an evaluation of a task-sharing approach to echocardiographic active case finding for early detection and management of RHD in high-risk settings in Australia and Timor-Leste.
Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease are caused by untreated group A streptococcus infections. Their prevalence is much higher among First Nations people than other Australians.
This research sought to provide an outline of identified household-level environmental health initiatives to reduce or interrupt Strep A transmission along each of these pathways.
In Australia, accurate case ascertainment of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) diagnoses for disease surveillance and control purposes requires the use of multiple data sources, including RHD registers and hospitalisation records. Despite drawing on multiple data sources, the true burden of ARF/RHD is likely to be underestimated.
Jonathan Carapetis AM AM MBBS FRACP FAFPHM PhD FAHMS Co-Head, Strep A Translation; Co-Founder of REACH 08 6319 1000 contact@thekids.org.au Head,
The spectrum of diseases caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) ranges from superficial to serious life-threatening invasive infections. We conducted a scoping review of published articles between 1980 and 2021 to synthesize evidence of state transitions across the Strep A disease spectrum. We identified 175 articles reporting 262 distinct observations of Strep A disease state transitions.
Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe, annually causing hundreds of millions of cases of disease.