Abstract
Eradication of rheumatic fever has become a New Zealand health priority in recent years, with the Government investing $65 million across a series of interventions aimed at drastically reducing rheumatic fever incidence by 2017. It is possible to prevent rheumatic fever occurrence via the timely treatment of Group-A Streptococcal (GAS) infection with penicillin antibiotics. Given that rheumatic fever is primarily a disease of childhood, the decision to seek care generally rests with someone else invariably the sick child s parent or caregiver who will make this decision based on their own experiences and knowledge. Sore throat awareness, then, is a crucial element of rheumatic fever prevention part of which is an understanding of the potential consequences of sore throats, and what can be done to prevent them.