Reducing the burden of group A streptococcal disease in the Northern Territory: the role of chemoprophylaxis for those at greatest risk

Birrell, Johanna M; Currie, Bart J; Krause, Vicki L

doi:10.5694/mja2.51912

Topics

To the Editor: We thank Gibney and Steer for their editorial1 in response to our research letter,2 supporting further public health action and research into invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) disease.

1 Northern Territory Centre for Disease Control, NT Health, Darwin, NT
2 Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT
3 Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT

Correspondence: johanna.birrell@cdhb.health.nz

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. Gibney K, Steer A. Reducing the burden of group A streptococcal disease in the Northern Territory: the role of chemoprophylaxis for those at greatest risk. Med J Aust 2022; 217: 524‐525. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2022/217/10/reducing‐burden‐group‐streptococcal‐disease‐northern‐territory‐role
2. Birrell JM, Boyd R, Currie BJ, et al. Invasive group A streptococcal disease in the Northern Territory and the impact of melioidosis antibiotic prophylaxis. Med J Aust 2022; 217: 544‐545. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2022/217/10/invasive‐group‐streptococcal‐disease‐northern‐territory‐and‐impact‐melioidosis
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6. Merridew N, Birrell J; NT Health. Public health management of invasive group A streptococcal disease in the Northern Territory guideline [version 2.0, 18 May 2022]. https://health.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1111122/invasive‐group‐A‐streptococcal‐disease‐northern‐territory‐guidelines.pdf (viewed Dec 2022).
7. RHDAustralia (ARF/RHD writing group). The 2020 Australian guideline for prevention, diagnosis and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (3.2 edition, March 2022). RHDAustralia, 2020. https://www.rhdaustralia.org.au/arf‐rhd‐guideline (viewed Dec 2022).

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