Canadian publication documents high incidence of ARF in First Nations communities
Aerial view of Sioux Lookout, northwestern Ontario, Canada
A recent publication in the Canadian Family Physician documenting a case series of 8 young First Nations patients diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever (ARF) which resulted in the deaths of 2 patients in the context of late diagnosis, overcrowded housing, and a limited public health response.
The study notes that the incidence of ARF in this population was 21.3 per 100,000, which is 75 times greater than the overall Canadian estimated incidence. The incidence is comparable to rates in Indigenous populations in both Australia and New Zealand, which have some of the highest rates of incidence of ARF. The study is important in that it documents a high burden of disease within a vulnerable population in a high resource setting outside of Australia and New Zealand for the first time.
The publication has attracted considerable media attention within Canada and has highlighted the importance of addressing the social determinants of health.
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