Impetigo is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the superficial layer of skin. Impetigo is caused by group A Streptococcus (Strep A) and Staphylococcus aureus, alone or in combination, with the former predominating in many tropical climates. Strep A impetigo occurs mainly in early childhood, and the burden varies worldwide. It is an acute, self-limited disease, but many children experience frequent recurrences that make it a chronic illness in some endemic settings. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2022
• September 2022

Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity globally. This bacterium is responsible for a range of different infections and post-infectious sequelae. Summarising the current knowledge of Strep A transmission to humans will address gaps in the evidence and inform prevention and control strategies. The objective of this study is to evaluate the modes of transmission and attack rates of group A streptococcal infection in human populations. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2021
• March 2021

The social determinants of health such as access to income, education, housing and healthcare, strongly shape the occurrence of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease at the household, community and national levels.  ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• October 2023

Jonathan Carapetis AM JR AM MBBS FRACP FAFPHM PhD FAHMS Executive Director; Head, Strep A Translation; Co-Founder of REACH 08 6319 1000 contact@telethonkids.org.au Institute Director; Head, Strep A Translation; Co-Founder of REACH Professor ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• October 2023

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a multiorgan inflammatory disorder that results from the body's autoimmune response to pharyngitis or a skin infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A). Acute rheumatic fever mainly affects those in low- and middle-income nations, as well as in indigenous populations in wealthy nations, where initial Strep A infections may go undetected. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2022
• September 2022

While there are many skin infections, reducing the burden of scabies and impetigo for remote living Aboriginal people, particularly children remains challenging. Aboriginal children living in remote communities have experienced the highest reported rate of impetigo in the world and are 15 times more likely to be admitted to hospital with a skin infection compared to non-Aboriginal children. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• February 2023

The World Health Organization published the preferred product characteristics for a Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) vaccine in 2018. Based on these parameters for the age of vaccination, vaccine efficacy, duration of protection from vaccine-derived immunity, and vaccination coverage, we developed a static cohort model to estimate the projected health impact of Strep A vaccination at the global, regional, and national levels and by country-income category. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2023
• Jun 2023

Epidemiologic data on invasive group C/G Streptococcus (iGCGS) infections are sparse internationally. Linked population-level hospital, pathology, and death data were used to describe the disease burden in Western Australia, Australia, during 2000-2018 compared with that of invasive group A Streptococcus (GAS, Streptococcus pyogenes) infections. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2022
• November 2022

A high burden of bacterial skin infections is well documented in remote-living Indigenous children and young people in high-income countries. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2022
• November 2022

Impetigo or skin sores are estimated to affect >162 million people worldwide. Detailed descriptions of the anatomical location of skin sores are lacking. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2022
• October 2022

Indigenous children and young peoples live with an inequitable burden of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. In this Review, we focus on the epidemiological burden and lived experience of these conditions for Indigenous young peoples in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. We outline the direct and indirect drivers of rheumatic heart disease risk and their mitigation. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2021
• June 2021

In Australia’s north, Aboriginal peoples live with world-high rates of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and its precursor, acute rheumatic fever (ARF); driven by social and environmental determinants of health. We undertook a program of work to strengthen RHD primordial and primary prevention using a model addressing six domains: housing and environmental support, community awareness and empowerment, health literacy, health and education service integration, health navigation and health provider education. ...

• 1. Telethon Kids Institute
• Our research
• Reports and Findings
• 2021
• October 2021