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Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) comprises heart-valve damage caused by acute rheumatic fever (ARF). The Australian Government Rheumatic Fever Strategy funds RHD Control Programs to support detection and management of ARF and RHD. We assessed epidemiological changes during the years of RHD Control Program operation.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is responsible for a significant burden of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and remains the most common cause of acquired heart disease among children and young adults in low-income and middle-income countries. Additionally, the global COVID-19 pandemic has forced the emergency restructuring of many health systems, which has had a broad impact on health in general, including cardiovascular disease.

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.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes pharyngitis (sore throat) and impetigo (skin sores) GAS pharyngitis triggers rheumatic fever (RF) with epidemiological evidence supporting that GAS impetigo may also trigger RF in Australian Aboriginal children. Understanding the concurrent burden of these superficial GAS infections is critical to RF prevention. This pilot study aimed to trial tools for concurrent surveillance of sore throats and skins sore for contemporary studies of RF pathogenesis including development of a sore throat checklist for Aboriginal families and pharynx photography.

Echocardiographic screening for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) can identify individuals with subclinical disease who could benefit from antibiotic prophylaxis.

Develop a 'roadmap' of key actions that need to be taken by governments to eliminate ARF and eradicate RHD in Africa

As a general guide, the Roadmap is meant to serve as the foundation for the development of tailored plans of action to improve RHD control in specific contexts.

This study demonstrates the potential use of plasma metabolites to identify causality in children with severe febrile illness in malaria-endemic settings

A 7-year old boy developed myositis secondary to intramuscular injection of benzathine penicillin-G in the context of secondary prophylaxis for RF

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is the result of an autoimmune response to pharyngitis caused by infection with group A Streptococcus.