Jeffrey Cannon
Health Economist
BSc(Hons) BBus PhD
jeffrey.cannon@thekids.org.au
https://au.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-cannon-5a4956150Dr Jeff Cannon is a health economist based at The Kids Research Institute Australia in Perth, Western Australia. With a PhD in Health Economics from the University of Western Australia, Jeff specialises in the health, economic, and social impacts of infectious diseases, particularly those affecting children and Indigenous communities. His work bridges health economics, disease burden, policy development, and health equity.
Jeff’s groundbreaking research has had global influence, particularly in understanding the burden of Strep A diseases. His modelling was the first to show that skin infections like cellulitis are key drivers of health and economic costs, shaping international vaccine development strategies. He led the development of the first full epidemiological-economic model for all Strep A clinical manifestations—work that has informed global investment, surveillance methods, and vaccine policy, including Australia’s national Strep A Vaccine Initiative.
Beyond Strep A and RHD, Jeff provides health economics expertise across a wide range of projects within the Institute, supporting research and policy translation in areas such as child health, infectious disease, and Indigenous health.
Education and Qualifications
- PhD – The University of Western Australia
Projects
Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium (SAVAC) 2.0
The mission of SAVAC, the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium, to ensure that safe, effective and affordable Strep A vaccines are available and implemented to decrease the burden of Strep A disease in the most in need.
Coalition to Advance Vaccines Against Group A Streptococcus (CANVAS): A Trans-Tasman Initiative Against Rheumatic Fever
CANVAS is a commitment by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand to advance the development of a vaccine against GAS infection, which can cause rheumatic fever.
Burden of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and impact of prevention strategies: comprehensive evidence to drive the RHD Endgame
This project will use a multi-jurisdictional linked RHD dataset to establish a baseline burden of RHD in Australia to allow for monitoring the impact of burden over time, and to form the basis of clearly defined targets for the END RHD CRE Endgame Strategy.
Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium (SAVAC 1.0)
The Kids Research Institute Australia (Jonathan Carapetis) is a member of the new Global Strep A Vaccine Consortium; a global GAS vaccine consortium that will drive strategic planning to anticipate requirements for licensure, prequalification, and policy recommendations.
Published research
NEARER SCAN (LENO BESIK) evaluation of a task-sharing echocardiographic active case finding programme for rheumatic heart disease in Australia and Timor-Leste
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.
Housing Initiatives to Address Strep A Infections and Reduce RHD Risks in Remote Indigenous Communities in Australia
State transitions across the Strep A disease spectrum: scoping review and evidence gaps
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.
Research opportunities for the primordial prevention of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease - streptococcal vaccine development: a national heart, lung and blood institute workshop report
Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A streptococcus (StrepA), is a bacterium that causes a range of human diseases, including pharyngitis, impetigo, invasive infections, and post-infection immune sequelae such as rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. StrepA infections cause some of the highest burden of disease and death in mostly young populations in low-resource settings. Despite decades of effort, there is still no licensed StrepA vaccine, which if developed, could be a cost-effective way to reduce the incidence of disease.
Trends in penicillin dispensing during an acute rheumatic fever prevention programme
Acute rheumatic fever (ARF), a serious inflammatory condition, often leads to rheumatic heart disease. Between 2011 and 2016, Aotearoa New Zealand implemented a rheumatic fever prevention programme to reduce high rates of ARF through improved community access to timely diagnosis and early treatment of group A streptococcal pharyngitis, which has been shown to prevent subsequent ARF.
Research opportunities for the primary prevention and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease: a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute workshop report
Primary prevention of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) encompasses the timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of the superficial group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections pharyngitis and impetigo. GAS is the only known inciting agent in the pathophysiology of the disease.
Tertiary prevention and treatment of rheumatic heart disease: a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute working group summary
Although entirely preventable, rheumatic heart disease, a disease of poverty and social disadvantage resulting in high morbidity and mortality, remains an ever-present burden in low-income and middle-income countries and rural, remote, marginalised and disenfranchised populations within high-income countries.
Antibiotic consumption for sore throat and the potential effect of a vaccine against group A Streptococcus: a systematic review and modelling study
Antibiotic consumption can lead to antimicrobial resistance and microbiome imbalance. We sought to estimate global antibiotic consumption for sore throat, and the potential reduction in consumption due to effective vaccination against group A Streptococcus.
The full health, economic, and social benefits of prospective Strep A vaccination
Recent research has documented a wide range of health, economic, and social benefits conferred by vaccination, beyond the direct reductions in morbidity, mortality, and future healthcare costs traditionally captured in economic evaluations.
Getting to grips with invasive group A streptococcal infection surveillance in Australia: are we experiencing an epidemic?
The potential global cost-effectiveness of prospective Strep A vaccines and associated implementation efforts
Group A Streptococcus causes a wide range of diseases from relatively mild infections including pharyngitis to more severe illnesses such as invasive diseases and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Our aim is to estimate the cost-effectiveness of a hypothetical Strep A vaccine on multiple disease manifestations at the global-level.
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.
Modalities of group A streptococcal prevention and treatment and their economic justification
Infection by group A Streptococcus (Strep A) results in a diverse range of clinical conditions, including pharyngitis, impetigo, cellulitis, necrotising fasciitis, and rheumatic heart disease. In this article, we outline the recommended strategies for Strep A treatment and prevention and review the literature for economic evaluations of competing treatment and prevention strategies.
Standardization of Epidemiological Surveillance of Group A Streptococcal Pharyngitis
Pharyngitis, more commonly known as sore throat, is caused by viral and/or bacterial infections. Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) is the most common bacterial cause of pharyngitis. Strep A pharyngitis is an acute, self-limiting disease but if undertreated can lead to suppurative complications, nonsuppurative poststreptococcal immune-mediated diseases, and toxigenic presentations.
Standardization of Epidemiological Surveillance of Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections
Invasive group A streptococcal (Strep A) infections occur when Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as beta-hemolytic group A Streptococcus, invades a normally sterile site in the body. This article provides guidelines for establishing surveillance for invasive Strep A infections. The primary objective of invasive Strep A surveillance is to monitor trends in rates of infection and determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with laboratory-confirmed invasive Strep A infection, the age- and sex-specific incidence in the population of a defined geographic area, trends in risk factors, and the mortality rates and rates of nonfatal sequelae caused by invasive Strep A infections.
Standardization of Epidemiological Surveillance of Acute Rheumatic Fever
Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a multiorgan inflammatory disorder that results from the body's autoimmune response to pharyngitis or a skin infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A). Acute rheumatic fever mainly affects those in low- and middle-income nations, as well as in indigenous populations in wealthy nations, where initial Strep A infections may go undetected.
Standardization of Epidemiological Surveillance of Group A Streptococcal Impetigo
Impetigo is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the superficial layer of skin. Impetigo is caused by group A Streptococcus (Strep A) and Staphylococcus aureus, alone or in combination, with the former predominating in many tropical climates. Strep A impetigo occurs mainly in early childhood, and the burden varies worldwide. It is an acute, self-limited disease, but many children experience frequent recurrences that make it a chronic illness in some endemic settings.
A Systematic Framework for Prioritizing Burden of Disease Data Required for Vaccine Development and Implementation: The Case for Group A Streptococcal Diseases
Vaccine development and implementation decisions need to be guided by accurate and robust burden of disease data. We developed an innovative systematic framework outlining the properties of such data that are needed to advance vaccine development and evaluation, and prioritize research and surveillance activities.
Standardization of epidemiological surveillance of group A Streptococcal cellulitis
Standardization of epidemiological surveillance of rheumatic heart disease
Roadmap to incorporating group A Streptococcus molecular point-of-care testing for remote Australia: a key activity to eliminate rheumatic heart disease
The global burden of sore throat and group A Streptococcus pharyngitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Contemporary data for the global burden of sore throat and group A Streptococcus (Strep A) pharyngitis are required to understand the frequency of disease and develop value propositions for Strep A vaccines.
Cellulitis in children: A retrospective single centre study from Australia
To characterise the epidemiology, clinical features and treatment of paediatric cellulitis. Methods A retrospective study of children presenting to a paediatric tertiary hospital in Western Australia, Australia in 2018.
An update on the burden of group A streptococcal diseases in Australia and vaccine development