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A pilot study to develop assessment tools for Group A Streptococcus surveillance studies

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.

Citation:
Pickering J, Sampson C, Mullane M, Sheel M, Barth DD, Lane M, Walker R, AThe Kidsnson D, Carapetis JR, Bowen AC. A pilot study to develop assessment tools for Group A Streptococcus surveillance studies. PeerJ. 2023;11

Keywords:
Impetigo; Pharyngitis; skin sores; Group A Streptococcus; Rheumatic fever

Abstract:
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.