Rheumatic fever and chronic rheumatic heart disease in Yarrabah aboriginal community, north Queensland. Establishment of a prophylactic program.

Objective: To establish a program for the prevention of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in a semi-isolated Aboriginal community in far north Queensland and to test its efficacy.

Design: A prevalence study of acute rheumatic fever and chronic rheumatic heart disease was conducted in the community in 1985 and subjects with possible acute rheumatic fever were assessed. A prophylactic antibiotic program was instituted.