Skip to content
The Kids Research Institute Australia logo
Donate

No results yet

Search

Research

Notification of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in hospitalised people in the Midwest region of Western Australia, 2012–2022: a retrospective cohort study

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. 

Research

Study protocol for controlled human infection for penicillin G against Streptococcus pyogenes: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomised trial to determine the minimum concentration required to prevent experimental pharyngitis (the CHIPS trial)

Regular intramuscular benzathine penicillin G injections have been the cornerstone of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) secondary prophylaxis since the 1950s. As the pharmacological correlate of protection remains unknown, it is difficult to recommend changes to this established regimen. Determining the minimum effective penicillin exposure required to prevent Streptococcus pyogenes infection will accelerate development of new long-acting penicillins for RHD prevention as well as inform opportunities to improve existing regimens. The CHIPS trial will address this knowledge gap by directly testing protection afforded by different steady state plasma concentrations of penicillin in an established model of experimental human S. pyogenes pharyngitis.

Research

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

Time to tackle rheumatic heart disease: Data needed to drive global policy dialogues

This report provides an update on the contemporary global and regional policy landscapes relevant to rheumatic heart disease

Research

Priorities for improved management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease

The results suggest that timely injection and patient education are priorities for managing ARF and RHD, particularly focusing on child-to-adult transition care.

Research

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.

Research

Rheumatic heart disease mortality in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians between 2010 and 2017

To generate contemporary age-specific mortality rates for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians aged <65 years who died from rheumatic heart disease between 2013 and 2017, and to ascertain the underlying causes of death of a prevalent RHD cohort aged <65 years who died during the same period.

Research

Global, regional, & national burden of rheumatic heart disease, 1990-2015

We estimated the global disease prevalence of and mortality due to rheumatic heart disease over a 25-year period

Research

Active Case Finding for Rheumatic Fever in an Endemic Country

Asha Jonathan Bowen Carapetis AM BA MBBS DCH FRACP PhD GAICD FAHMS OAM AM MBBS FRACP FAFPHM PhD FAHMS Head, Healthy Skin and ARF Prevention Executive