To the Editor: Pharyngitis, a common childhood illness, accounts for around 3% of presentations to general practice in Australia.1 Although usually benign and self‐limiting, group A streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis, isolated in up to 20% of symptomatic children,2 can lead to infectious and autoimmune sequelae. Despite Australia being a high income country, acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) still cause significant morbidity and mortality in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.3
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
- 1. Dallas A, van Driel M, Morgan S, et al. Antibiotic prescribing for sore throat: a cross‐sectional analysis of the ReCEnT study exploring the habits of early‐career doctors in family practice. Fam Pract 2016; 33: 302–308.
- 2. Shulman ST, Bisno AL, Clegg HW, et al. Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and management of group A streptococcal pharyngitis: 2012 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis 2012; 55: 1279–1282.
- 3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2017: acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. Supplementary online tables [Cat. No. WEB 194]. Canberra: AIHW, 2017. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/indigenous-health-welfare/health-performance-framework/contents/tier-1-health-status-and-outcomes/1-06-acute-rheumatic-fever-rheumatic-heart-disease (viewed May 2018).
- 4. Spinks A, Glasziou PP, Del Mar CB. Antibiotics for sore throat. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013; (11): CD000023.
- 5. Danchin MH, Curtis N, Carapetis JR, Nolan TM. Treatment of sore throat in light of the Cochrane verdict: is the jury still out? Med J Aust 2002; 177: 512–515. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2002/177/9/treatment-sore-throat-light-cochrane-verdict-jury-still-out
- 6. Herath VC, Carapetis J. Sore throat: is it such a big deal anymore? J Infect 2015; 71 (Suppl): S101–S105.
- 7. Noonan BN, Zurynski YA, Currie BJ, et al. A national prospective surveillance study of acute rheumatic fever in Australian children. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2013; 32: e26–e32.
We acknowledge the contribution of Asha Bowen to this review and analysis. Rosemary Wyber is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship (1151165).
No relevant disclosures.