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About Strep A

Strep A is a bacteria that causes throat and skin infections, usually in kids aged five to 15. Left untreated, it can also lead to devastating conditions that can cause lasting damage to the heart or kidneys, toxic shock syndrome or flesh-eating disease.

Strep A is common. Its consequences are not.

Strep A is a common childhood infection that causes sore throats and skin sores and can range from mild disease to severe and life-threatening illness, including rheumatic heart disease (RHD). It is recognised as a global health priority and is a major driver of antibiotic use in children.

  • 616m sore throats caused by Strep A every year

  • 500,000+ deaths every year, worldwide

  • Top 5 infectious causes of death and disability globally

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children carry the highest burden in Australia, with some of the highest rates of rheumatic fever in the world.

There is no vaccine. Yet.