Why simple school sores often lead to heart and kidney disease in Indigenous children

Impetigo, also known as school sores, is a highly contagious bacterial skin infection that occurs in children far more frequently than adults. It is one of the most common bacterial infections in children aged two to five years. Impetigo happens when a break in the skin, from scratching an insect bite for instance, lets in disease-causing bacteria. The bacteria responsible for impetigo are Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus or staph) and Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes or group A strep). People with diabetes or other conditions that may affect the immune system, such as HIV infection, and those on medications that suppress immunity, are more susceptible. While the infection itself is treatable, if left untreated it can lead to more serious conditions such as cellulitis (infection of the inner layers of skin) or abscess (painful collections of pus that build up under the skin). It can also progress to kidney disease, or it could cause acute rheumatic fever, which can affect the heart, joints, brain or skin.