Epidemiology of group A streptococcus in Australia

The Australian population experiences the extremes of group A streptococcal (GAS) disease. The majority of our population lives an affluent, middle class existence and experiences the same types and rates of GAS disease as are found in most industrialised countries. By contrast, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, particularly those living in remote and rural settings, experience a developing-country profile of GAS disease, which is almost entirely attributable to poverty, particularly as it is manifest by overcrowded housing, poor environmental health and reduced access to health care.