An analysis of wound swabs collected in Auckland primary care between 2010 and 2020 has shown that targeted public health initiatives and primary care interventions are crucial for reducing repeated Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) exposure and potentially lowering the risk of acute rheumatic fever. While all ethnic groups were impacted by Staphylococcus aureus infections, Māori and Pacific children aged <10 years were more likely to have repeated S. pyogenes infections compared with non-Māori/non-Pacific individuals, with rate ratios of 10.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.5-11.6) and 14.6 (95% CI 12.6-17.0), respectively. In those with initial S. pyogenes infection, the relative risk of subsequent infection was 4.1 times higher (95% CI 4.0-4.3) than in those negative for S. pyogenes.
