The Opotiki Rheumatic Fever Prevention Project (a school based swabbing programme)
Nita Walker and Miriam Steadman, community health workers from WISH, visit Opotiki primary schools twice per week and take throat swabs from consented children reporting a sore throat. The swabs are tested for Group A Streptococcus (GAS) bacteria. If GAS is detected the child is then given a ten day course of antibiotics which is prescribed by their family GP. The health workers then support the whanau to ensure the chid completes the full course of antibiotics. This is a free service. By detecting and treating strep throat in school children, rheumatic fever is less likely to develop.
Rheumatic fever is a serious preventable disease which may cause permanent heart damage.
An untreated sore throat ('strep throat') can lead to Rheumatic Fever. By taking sore throats seriously we can help prevent life long illness and suffering for our tamariki.
Signs and symptoms of rheumatic fever:
Often starts with a sore throat (a streptococcal infection) A few weeks later the following symptoms may develop:
- sore or swollen joints
- a skin rash
- a fever
- stomach pain
- jerky movements.
Although these symptoms may disappear, the heart valves may be permanently damaged – this is called Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD)
Rheumatic fever is common in the Bay of Plenty, where the annual incidence is nearly three times the New Zealand rate. Those most at risk of developing rheumatic fever are:
- children aged between 5 -15 years
- Maori and Pacific (90% of cases in the Bay of Plenty are Maori)
- people who share a house with lots of others