Rheumatic Fever

Rheumatic Fever is an inflammatory disease that can develop after an infection with the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes, commonly known as strep throat. It mainly affects the heart, joints, skin, and brain. The condition causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the body's own tissues, leading to symptoms like joint pain, fever, and sometimes heart problems. The heart involvement can cause lasting damage to the heart valves, which may affect how well the heart works. This disease mostly occurs in children and young adults. Early recognition and treatment of the initial strep infection are important to prevent this complication.

Rheumatic Fever is a systemic inflammatory disease triggered by an autoimmune response to infection with Streptococcus pyogenes. It primarily affects the cardiac valves, joints, skin, and central nervous system. The pathogenesis involves molecular mimicry where antibodies against streptococcal antigens cross-react with host tissues, causing pancarditis, migratory polyarthritis, subcutaneous nodules, erythema marginatum, and Sydenham chorea. The most clinically significant complication is rheumatic heart disease, characterized by chronic valvular damage, especially of the mitral valve. Diagnosis is based on clinical criteria supported by evidence of recent streptococcal infection. The disease is a major cause of acquired heart disease in children worldwide.