Childhood infections in the tropical north of Australia

Abstract

In the tropical north of Australia there are high rates of infections in Aboriginal children living in remote communities. In addition to the burden of respiratory infections, diarrhoeal disease and skin sepsis, there are high rates of acute rheumatic fever, outbreaks of poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis and gonococcal conjunctivitis, endemic trachoma and various intestinal parasites. A number of infections generally restricted to the tropics are also present and can cause disease in both indigenous and non-indigenous children. These include melioidosis, Murray Valley encephalitis and dengue on the east coast. With global warming, these infections may become more common and more widespread within Australia and the potential for establishment of introduced infections such as Japanese encephalitis and malaria may increase.

Vision screening in preschoolers: the New South Wales Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening program

“…Reported prevalences ranged from 2.5% to 30% in the Northern Territory, 0% to 25% in South Australia and 18% to 53% in Western Australia. Currie and Brewster [105] reported that in the tropical north of Australia there were high rates of gonococcal conjunctivitis and endemic trachoma in Aboriginal children in remote communities.…”

Use of health services by remote dwelling Aboriginal infants in tropical northern Australia: a retrospective cohort study

“…Aboriginal infants also have a higher burden of illness and hospitalisation than non-Aboriginal infants [5]. Despite improvements in perinatal mortality [6] incidence rates of certain infectious diseases continue to be among the highest in the world [7]. In the Northern Territory (NT), where Aboriginal Australians comprise 30% of the population [8], respiratory and diarrhoeal diseases are the leading causes of hospitalisation for Aboriginal infants and children [9].…”

Skin disease in the first two years of life in Aboriginal children in East Arnhem Land

“…1,2 Scabies is endemic in some Aboriginal populations, with a prevalence reportedly as high as 50% in children, and 25% in adults. 1 Scabies underlies up to 70% of streptococcal skin infections.…”

“…3 Impetigo/pyoderma (synonymous with skin sores in published literature) is seen in 10-70% of Aboriginal children in remote communities. 1,2 Several studies have found that the primary pathogen causing impetigo is group A streptococcus (GAS), with 80-93% of lesions swabbed being GAS-positive. 1,4,5 Streptococcal skin infection can lead to post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN) and acute rheumatic fever (ARF).…”