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Rheumatic heart disease in Indigenous young peoples

Indigenous children and young peoples live with an inequitable burden of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. In this Review, we focus on the epidemiological burden and lived experience of these conditions for Indigenous young peoples in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. We outline the direct and indirect drivers of rheumatic heart disease risk and their mitigation.

Rheumatic Heart Disease Control Programs, Registers, and Access to Care

This chapter outlines the evidence and evolution of RHD control programs and draws conclusions about priorities following the 2018 World Health Organization Global Resolution on rheumatic fever and RHD.

Preventing RHD through community-driven activities

Health activities driven by remote Indigenous communities may be key to the sustainable and successful treatment and prevention of a potentially fatal disease, a study has found.

Skin Health in Northern Australia

Achieving healthy skin requires the prevention of infectious diseases that affect the skin. Prevention activities range from environmental health improvements to address inequities in living situations, through to community-wide treatment programs to reduce transmission and improve skin health.

Modeling the potential health impact of prospective Strep A vaccines

The World Health Organization published the preferred product characteristics for a Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) vaccine in 2018. Based on these parameters for the age of vaccination, vaccine efficacy, duration of protection from vaccine-derived immunity, and vaccination coverage, we developed a static cohort model to estimate the projected health impact of Strep A vaccination at the global, regional, and national levels and by country-income category.

Qualitative assessment of healthy volunteer experience receiving subcutaneous infusions of high-dose benzathine penicillin G (SCIP) provides insights into design of late phase clinical studies

Secondary prophylaxis to prevent rheumatic heart disease (RHD) progression, in the form of four-weekly intramuscular benzathine benzylpenicillin G (BPG) injections, has remained unchanged since 1955. Qualitative investigations into patient preference have highlighted the need for long-acting penicillins to be delivered less frequently, ideally with reduced pain.

Increasing incidence of invasive group A streptococcal disease in Western Australia, particularly among Indigenous people

The incidence of invasive GAS disease in WA increased between 2000 and 2018, particularly among Indigenous Australians. Mandatory notification of invasive GAS disease would therefore be appropriate. The social determinants of differences in incidence should be addressed, and other relevant host, pathogen, and health system factors investigated.

The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers awarded $11 million to support vital child health research

Researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia have been awarded more than $11 million to support vital child health projects, under the Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund.

Urgent action needed to stop 500 preventable deaths

A new report predicts rheumatic heart disease (RHD) will lead to over 500 preventable deaths and cost the Australian health system $317 million by 2031 if no further action to tackle the disease is taken.

End Rheumatic Heart Disease Centre of Research Excellence

The END RHD CRE is producing a costed, step-wise strategy to end rheumatic heart disease (RHD) as public health priority in Australia.