(FIJI TIMES)- - MORE than one in every 100 children in Fiji schools is carrying bacteria that causes rheumatic heart disease, an expert says.

Paediatrician Doctor Kim Mulholland said the reason behind the high number of Group A Streptococcal disease, which causes rheumatic heart, in Pacific island countries was not known.

"What we are trying to do is measure the amount of disease that is caused by this bacteria in Fiji and the rates are quite high," he said.

"In one study that is ongoing about one per cent of school children in Fiji are known to have this heart disease, so it's quite significant.

"A much higher number of children have the same bacteria causing skin sores and other problems.

"That project has been going on now for two years. It's looking at the burden of heart disease in school-age children, the burden of skin disease, the number of sore throats.

"It's looking for cases at what we call acute rheumatic fever, which is the illness that leads to heart disease associated with Group A strep disease, so it's a very complex project, but it is going well."

Dr Mulholland said rheumatic heart disease could stem from a throat infection.

"Typically, what happens is if a child between the ages of five and 15 gets a throat infection with these bacteria, if the child is susceptible they may get rheumatic fever during the weeks after that, then the heart disease may show up immediately

"Or, in some cases, they won't notice the heart disease until years later. It's quite difficult that most of the people who have rheumatic heart disease actually have no symptoms at the moment but as they grow older they might start to have problems."

He said a team was researching Group A Streptococcal disease and the possibility of testing a vaccine that could prevent the disease