For Professor Jonathan Carapetis, watching children suffer from a preventable disease isn’t just heartbreaking – it’s a call to action.
The Executive Director of The Kids Research Institute Australia has dedicated more than 30 years to ending rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and spearheading the development of a vaccine for Strep A – one of the world’s deadliest yet most overlooked bacteria.
Last night, almost 60 supporters gathered at Adelaide Town Hall for the inaugural The Kids Research Institute Australia Adelaide Lecture, Not Just a Sore Throat: The Race to Stop One of the Deadliest Bugs on the Planet. Among the audience were valued benefactors, South Australian government officials, corporate leaders, researchers, and staff – each united by a shared commitment to tackling this global health crisis.
Professor Carapetis, who hails from Port Pirie in South Australia, shared powerful insights into the devastating impact of invasive Strep A and Rhematic Heart Disease (RHD), which affect more than 40 million people worldwide and claim approximately 500,000 lives every year. Despite its staggering toll, Strep A infections receive a fraction of the awareness and funding compared to other infectious diseases.
A preventable tragedy
RHD is caused by an abnormal immune response to Strep A infections of the throat and skin – common bacterial infections that, without proper treatment, can have deadly consequences. In Australia, the disease overwhelmingly affects young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, who are 55 times more likely to die from RHD than their non-Indigenous peers.
Professor Carapetis has been at the forefront of the fight against RHD, pioneering research, identifying new approaches to treatment, and establishing Australia’s first RHD control program. Today, he is leading a global initiative to develop a Strep A vaccine – an effort that could save hundreds of thousands of lives and end the cycle of suffering.
A call to action
Addressing the audience, Professor Carapetis urged governments and policymakers to recognise Strep A as the global health emergency it is.
"Strep A infections outnumber meningococcal infections, yet awareness and funding for research are nowhere near where they need to be," he said.
"We have the science, the knowledge, and the expertise. What we need now is the commitment and resources to bring an end to this preventable tragedy."
The Kids Research Institute Australia is determined to turn the tide on Strep A and RHD – but we cannot do it alone.
With greater awareness, funding, and collaboration, a future free from the devastation of these diseases is within reach. Read more about how you can help.