Understanding Rheumatic Fever: Causes and Treatment

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What is acute rheumatic fever?

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a short illness following a group A streptococcus, or ‘Strep A’ infection. Strep A bacteria can cause infection in the throat (strep throat) and skin (skin sores, pyoderma, impetigo). For some people, the body’s immune system gets confused, and they have an autoimmune response to the infection.

Is rheumatic fever an inflammatory disorder?

It’s an inflammatory disorder. Rheumatic fever causes the body to attack its own tissues. This reaction causes widespread inflammation throughout the body, which is the basis for all symptoms of rheumatic fever. What are the symptoms of rheumatic fever? Rheumatic fever is caused by a reaction to the bacterium that causes strep throat.

What are the symptoms of rheumatic fever?

Symptoms are due to swelling, called inflammation, in the heart, joints, skin or central nervous system. There may be few symptoms or several. Symptoms can come and go or change while a person is sick with rheumatic fever. Fever. Joint pain or swelling — most often the knees, ankles, elbows and wrists. Joints may feel hot or tender.

What is rheumatic fever?

Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that can develop when strep throat or scarlet fever isn't properly treated. Strep throat and scarlet fever are caused by an infection with streptococcus (strep-toe-KOK-us) bacteria. Rheumatic fever most often affects children ages 5 to 15. But younger children and adults can get it too.

When does rheumatic fever develop?

Rheumatic fever may develop if strep throat or scarlet fever infections are not treated properly or after strep skin infections ( impetigo ). Bacteria called group A Streptococcus (group A strep) cause these infections. It usually takes about 1 to 5 weeks after one of these infections for rheumatic fever to develop.

What Is Rheumatic Fever

1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatic-fever/symptoms-causes/syc-20354588
2. https://www.rhdaustralia.org.au/diagnosis-and-management-arf
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheumatic_fever
4. https://www.cdc.gov/groupastrep/diseases-public/rheumatic-fever.html
5. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/rheumatic-fever
6. https://www.healthline.com/health/rheumatic-fever
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594238/
8. https://patient.info/infections/rheumatic-fever-leaflet
9. https://www.verywellhealth.com/rheumatic-fever-symptoms-causes-treatment-770652
10. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/rheumatic-fever/

Rheumatic Fever Information

1. https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2012/january-february/rheumatic-fever
2. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/acute-rheumatic-fever-treatment-and-prevention