Authors:
Carapetis JR, Zühlke L, Taubert K, Narula J
Authors notes:
Global Heart. 2013;8(3):185-186
Keywords:
Rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, vaccine, prevention, skin infections,
Abstract:
We still have a long way to go to control RF and RHD.
All indications are that the disease burden figures commonly cited (more than 15 million cases and more than 200,000 deaths annually) will be shown to be dramatic underestimates when the 2010 Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors reports its updated data on RHD over the next 12 months.
There continue to be no low- or middle-income countries with coordinated, national control programs.
We still do not have a RF vaccine, although the recent announcement that the Australian and New Zealand governments are jointly sponsoring a program to fast track development of a RF vaccine gives hope that this may be achievable.
But we must keep in mind that, although there are still gaps in our knowledge about understanding the pathogenesis of RF, the role of skin infections, the relevance of so-called borderline RHD detected on echocardiography, and others, the major gap is one of implementation.
There is no doubt that, if we put into practice the knowledge we already have, the majority of deaths from RHD around the world, as well as the new cases that continue to occur, could be prevented right now.
This requires implementation science, but it also requires advocacy, awareness, commitment, coordination, and resources.
At least the new era means that the future of RF/RHD science and control is in good hands.