Measuring the burden of pharyngitis and impetigo in Australian Aboriginal children

This project will investigate the burden of pharyngitis and impetigo in Aboriginal children of the tropical north with a view to better understand the pathogenesis of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in this area.

This project is most relevant to the skin health and Chronic Disease research themes. RHD causes a very high burden of chronic disease in the Aboriginal Communities of Northern Australia and it is hoped that this project will ultimately lead to a better understanding of the concurrent burden of GAS impetigo and pharyngitis to direct primary prevention efforts for ARF.