Baker Michael GGurney JasonOliver JaneMoreland Nicole JWilliamson Deborah APierse NevilWilson NigelMerriman Tony RPercival TeuilaMurray ColleenJackson CatherineEdwards RichardFoster Page LyndieChan Mow FlorinaChong AngelaGribben BarryLennon Diana2020-11-112020-11-112019-11-15International journal of environmental research and public health 16(22) 15 Nov 20191661-7827https://hdl.handle.net/2292/53530Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and its sequela, rheumatic heart disease (RHD), have largely disappeared from high-income countries. However, in New Zealand (NZ), rates remain unacceptably high in indigenous Māori and Pacific populations. The goal of this study is to identify potentially modifiable risk factors for ARF to support effective disease prevention policies and programmes. A case-control design is used. Cases are those meeting the standard NZ case-definition for ARF, recruited within four weeks of hospitalisation for a first episode of ARF, aged less than 20 years, and residing in the North Island of NZ. This study aims to recruit at least 120 cases and 360 controls matched by age, ethnicity, gender, deprivation, district, and time period. For data collection, a comprehensive pre-tested questionnaire focussed on exposures during the four weeks prior to illness or interview will be used. Linked data include previous hospitalisations, dental records, and school characteristics. Specimen collection includes a throat swab (Group A Streptococcus), a nasal swab (Staphylococcus aureus), blood (vitamin D, ferritin, DNA for genetic testing, immune-profiling), and head hair (nicotine). A major strength of this study is its comprehensive focus covering organism, host and environmental factors. Having closely matched controls enables the examination of a wide range of specific environmental risk factors.ElectronicItems in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htmhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/HairHumansStaphylococcus aureusRheumatic FeverNicotineHospitalizationData CollectionRisk FactorsCase-Control StudiesMotivationEnvironmentAge FactorsSex FactorsSocioeconomic FactorsAdolescentChildOceanic Ancestry GroupNew ZealandFemaleMale1117 Public Health and Health ServicesPopulation & SocietyPublic HealthPreventionArthritisInfectious DiseasesClinical ResearchInfection2.2 Factors relating to physical environmentScience & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicineEnvironmental SciencesPublic, Environmental & Occupational HealthEnvironmental Sciences & Ecologyacute rheumatic feverrheumatic heart diseasecase-controlrisk factorsgroup A streptococcushousingcrowdingenvironmental tobacco smokehealth care accesssore throatskin infectionGROUP-A STREPTOCOCCIBETA-HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCIHEART-DISEASEINFECTIVE ENDOCARDITISSCHOOL-CHILDRENSKIN INFECTIONVITAMIN-DSOCIOECONOMIC DEPRIVATIONEPIDEMIOLOGIC ANALYSISMENINGOCOCCAL DISEASEMD MultidisciplinaryJournal Article10.3390/ijerph162245152020-10-01Copyright: The authorshttp://purl.org/eprint/accessRights/OpenAccess1660-4601