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Rheumatic Heart Disease Worldwide: JACC Scientific Expert PanelThe authors present a variety of pressing clinical research questions on optimal RHD prevention and advanced care
Research
Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability and agreement of echocardiographic diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease using the World Heart Federation evidence-based criteriaThe WHF echocardiographic criteria enable reproducible categorisation of echocardiograms as definite RHD versus no or borderline RHD
Research
Disparity in Mortality From Rheumatic Heart Disease in Indigenous AustraliansIndigenous Australians are much more likely to die from Rheumatic Heart Disease than other Australians.
News & Events
Trans-Tasman partnership to tackle rheumatic heart diseaseResearchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia have begun a comprehensive research project into vaccines aimed at tackling rheumatic fever.
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Professor Jonathan Carapetis AMInstitute Director; Head, Strep A Translation; Co-Founder of REACH
As Head of Aboriginal Research Development at Telethon Kids, Glenn Pearson believes his work brings us closer to identifying the real and whole Australian story
Research
Research opportunities for the primordial prevention of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease - streptococcal vaccine development: a national heart, lung and blood institute workshop reportStreptococcus 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.
Research
Subcutaneous infusion of high-dose benzathine penicillin G is safe, tolerable, and suitable for less-frequent dosing for rheumatic heart disease secondary prophylaxis: a phase 1 open-label population pharmacokinetic studySince 1955, the recommended strategy for rheumatic heart disease secondary prophylaxis has been benzathine penicillin G injections administered intramuscularly every 4 weeks. Due to dosing frequency, pain, and programmatic challenges, adherence is suboptimal. It has previously been demonstrated that BPG delivered subcutaneously at a standard dose is safe and tolerable and has favorable pharmacokinetics, setting the scene for improved regimens with less frequent administration.
Research
Outcomes of rheumatic fever in Uganda: a prospective cohort studyRheumatic heart disease is the largest contributor to cardiac-related mortality in children worldwide. Outcomes in endemic settings after its antecedent illness, acute rheumatic fever, are not well understood. We aimed to describe 3-5 year mortality, acute rheumatic fever recurrence, changes in carditis, and correlates of mortality after acute rheumatic fever.
Research
Morbidity of Scabies in Resource-Limited Countries: Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) and Post-Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis (APSGN)Scabies is one of the world’s most prevalent diseases, with approximately 147 million cases at any one time and an estimated annual incidence of 455 million new episodes. Although Group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis has long been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and subsequent rheumatic heart disease (RHD), impetigo caused by GAS has recently been postulated as a link between scabies and the pathogenesis of ARF.