Two world-first studies point the way to preventing rheumatic fever in Aotearoa and internationally (Reduce sugars)

Medical Xpress / University of Otago / The Lancet Regional Health—Western Pacific ^ | July 6, 2022 | Michael G. Baker et al / Julie Bennett et al

[ConservativeMind]

University of Otago-led research has uncovered the strongest evidence yet that household overcrowding is a major risk factor for acute rheumatic fever and streptococcal infections of the skin.

Lead researcher Professor Michael Baker of the University of Otago, Wellington, says it is the first time researchers have investigated risk factors for Group A streptococcal infections of the throat (strep throat) and skin (strep skin) that can cause rheumatic fever.

The studies found that both rheumatic fever and strep skin were linked with barriers to accessing primary health care and a family history of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, a serious illness which can develop if rheumatic fever is untreated.

Professor Baker says it is a major step forward to have identified a key pathway driving the risk of rheumatic fever.

"Finding a strong association between skin infection and rheumatic fever adds to evidence from other research conducted by our group about the importance of strep skin in triggering this disease. These results suggest that treating skin infections in young children may provide a way of preventing them developing rheumatic fever.

One unexpected finding of the rheumatic fever risk factors study was that drinking sugar-sweetened drinks was twice as common amongst the rheumatic fever cases compared with healthy controls, even after adjusting for all the other risk factors.

"There are several ways in which sugar-sweetened drinks could increase your risk of rheumatic fever. We are planning further research to test some of these hypotheses. In the meantime, this is another reason for children to switch to healthy alternatives, such as water or plain milk," Professor Baker says.

[ConservativeMind]

We can spontaneously get rheumatic fever from a very common strep source and having more simple sugars may double the likelihood of getting it.

[ConservativeMind]

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[Red Badger]

Where is Aotearoa ?..........................

[ConservativeMind]

New Zealand, I believe.

[BipolarBob]

But I’m a sugar addict. I love donuts, Little Debbies, cakes, pies and ice cream. This isn’t fair it’s discriminatory.

[ConjunctionJunction]

I think Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Fix me a Diet Coke and I will tell you...

[webheart]

“The studies found that both rheumatic fever and strep skin were linked with barriers to accessing primary health care and a family history of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease….” Guess which one is the most likely indicator? The family history one. Same as with heart disease and high blood pressure and also diabetes. I wonder what barriers they are talking about. In America there are no barriers. No hospital can turn away a single patient. We have Obamacare to cover everyone who isn’t smart enough to have their own insurance. Medicare and Medicaid are virtual battering rams to barriers to primary health care. By the way this is the first time in 65 years that I have ever heard about strep skin. I would infer that it is not highly prevalent.

[webheart]

“The studies found that both rheumatic fever and strep skin were linked with barriers to accessing primary health care and a family history of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease….” Guess which one is the most likely indicator? The family history one. Same as with heart disease and high blood pressure and also diabetes. I wonder what barriers they are talking about. In America there are no barriers. No hospital can turn away a single patient. We have Obamacare to cover everyone who isn’t smart enough to have their own insurance. Medicare and Medicaid are virtual battering rams to barriers to primary health care. By the way this is the first time in 65 years that I have ever heard about strep skin. I would infer that it is not highly prevalent.

[Boogieman]

I remember one year me and my girlfriend kept giving each other strep because we wouldn’t stop making out for 2 weeks while the antibiotics did their work. I must have gotten strep about 6 times in a row :D

[ConservativeMind]

Actually, I have a current active infection, after returning from a trip away.

I am treating it with Hibiclens and povidone iodine.

[ConservativeMind]

Let me add to that. It could also be staph.

The locations on the back of my legs look like either, according to pictures.