The American Heart Association’s Call to Action for Reducing the Global Burden of Rheumatic Heart Disease: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association

Abstract

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) affects ≈40 million people and claims nearly 300 000 lives each year. The historic passing of a World Health Assembly resolution on RHD in 2018 now mandates a coordinated global response. The American Heart Association is committed to serving as a global champion and leader in RHD care and prevention. Here, we pledge support in 5 key areas: (1) professional healthcare worker education and training, (2) technical support for the implementation of evidence-based strategies for rheumatic fever/RHD prevention, (3) access to essential medications and technologies, (4) research, and (5) advocacy to increase global awareness, resources, and capacity for RHD control. In bolstering the efforts of the American Heart Association to combat RHD, we hope to inspire others to collaborate, communicate, and contribute.

Mortality and years of life lost of cardiovascular diseases in China, 2005–2020: Empirical evidence from national mortality surveillance system

“…For RHD, although a decline was observed in this study that similar to a research which stated the reduction occurred at almost entirely in high-and upper-middle-income countries, the premature mortality burden of China still higher than global average [31]. Supports pledged from the American Heart Association (AHA) were imperative for RHD prevention, including professional healthcare work education, technical support for implementation of evidence-based strategies, access to essential medications and treatment, advocacy to increase population awareness, resources and capacity [32,33]. HHD and AA were only 2 subcategories with moderate trends of increase, which might be attributed to shared metabolic risk factors, such as elevated blood pressure along with atherosclerosis [34].…”

An update on the burden of group A streptococcal diseases in Australia and vaccine development

“…Building on the Trans-Tasman Coalition to Advance New Vaccines for group A Streptococcus (CANVAS) initiative, 16 the Australian government funded the Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative (ASAVI) in 2019, with the aim of facilitating progress by 2024 to an efficacy trial of a GAS vaccine for preventing pharyngitis. 17,18 Three of the vaccine candidates closest to efficacy Editorials MJA 215 (1) ▪ 5 July 2021 28 testing (MJ8CombiVax, P*17, Combo5) are being developed in Australia. [19][20][21] Overseas, the Wellcome Trust funded the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium (SAVAC) in 2019 to undertake nonlaboratory elements of vaccine research and development, examine the global epidemiology of GAS diseases (including iGAS), develop safety protocols for vaccine trials, investigate factors associated with protection, and prepare investment cases from commercial, public health sector, and societal perspectives.…”

“…Building on the Trans‐Tasman Coalition to Advance New Vaccines for group A Streptococcus (CANVAS) initiative, 16 the Australian government funded the Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative (ASAVI) in 2019, with the aim of facilitating progress by 2024 to an efficacy trial of a GAS vaccine for preventing pharyngitis 17,18 . Three of the vaccine candidates closest to efficacy testing (MJ8CombiVax, P*17, Combo5) are being developed in Australia 19-21 .…”

Time to address the neglected burden of group A Streptococcus

“…No other group A streptococcal‐specific endpoints are available from the Global Burden of Disease data, yet all‐cause cellulitis was ranked the 24th most frequently occurring condition in high income countries in 2019 4 . Group A Streptococcus causes outbreaks of poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, contributing to the burden of chronic renal disease, and it is estimated to be the fifth most lethal pathogen on the planet, behind the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) , Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Plasmodium falciparum and S. pneumoniae , yet expenditure on vaccine development is only 0.17% of that spent on vaccines for HIV infection, malaria and tuberculosis 5 …”

“…Two major initiatives aim to progress vaccine development. The Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative (ASAVI) and the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium (SAVAC) are addressing technical and investment barriers and leading at least one of the current vaccine candidates to an efficacy trial for pharyngitis prevention by 2024 5 . An effective vaccine may prevent health and economic burdens due to the full range of group A streptococcal diseases and associated antibiotic consumption.…”