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Global epidemiology of valvular heart diseaseValvular heart disease is a major contributor to loss of physical function, quality of life and longevity. The epidemiology of VHD varies substantially around the world, with a predominance of functional and degenerative disease in high-income countries, and a predominance of rheumatic heart disease in low-income and middle-income countries. Reflecting this distribution, rheumatic heart disease remains by far the most common manifestation of VHD worldwide and affects approximately 41 million people.
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Voices behind the statistics: A systematic literature review of the lived experience of rheumatic heart diseaseThis systematic review presents a critical, interpretive analysis of publications that include lived experiences of rheumatic heart disease
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Screening for rheumatic heart disease: Quality and agreement of focused cardiac ultrasound by briefly trained health workersAfter brief training, health workers with no prior experience in echocardiography can obtain adequate quality images and make a reliable assessment
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Controlling acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in developing countries: Are we getting closer?Improved opportunities for the primary prevention of ARF now exist, because of point-of-care antigen tests for Streptococcus pyogenes, and clinical decision...
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Status of research and development of vaccines for Streptococcus pyogenesVaccines against Streptococcus pyogenes are considered as impeded vaccines because of a number of crucial barriers to development
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Changes in the clinical and epidemiological features of group A streptococcal bacteraemia in Australia's Northern TerritoryThis study adds to emerging data suggesting increasing importance of iGAS in low- and middle-income settings globally.
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Group A Streptococcus, Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease: Epidemiology and Clinical ConsiderationsA directed approach to the differential diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever now includes the concept of low-risk versus medium-to-high risk populations
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Estimating the true number of people with acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease from two data sources using capture-recapture methodologyIn Australia, accurate case ascertainment of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) diagnoses for disease surveillance and control purposes requires the use of multiple data sources, including RHD registers and hospitalisation records. Despite drawing on multiple data sources, the true burden of ARF/RHD is likely to be underestimated.
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Housing Initiatives to Address Strep A Infections and Reduce RHD Risks in Remote Indigenous Communities in AustraliaThis research sought to provide an outline of identified household-level environmental health initiatives to reduce or interrupt Strep A transmission along each of these pathways.
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NEARER SCAN (LENO BESIK) evaluation of a task-sharing echocardiographic active case finding programme for rheumatic heart disease in Australia and Timor-LesteRheumatic heart disease (RHD) is underdiagnosed globally resulting in missed treatment opportunities and adverse clinical outcomes. We describe the protocol for a study which aims to co-design, implement and conduct an evaluation of a task-sharing approach to echocardiographic active case finding for early detection and management of RHD in high-risk settings in Australia and Timor-Leste.