Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease following a streptococcus pyogenes infection, involving potential damage to the heart, joints, skin, and brain. Chronic rheumatic heart disease results from autoimmune reactions leading to valve damage, with specific treatment focused on anti-inflammatory medications and antibiotics. This condition mainly affects children aged 5 to 17 and can occur even if the initial streptococcal infection was asymptomatic.

1. Rheumatic Fever

2. Introduction
Rheumatic fever is an
inflammatory disease that
occurs following a
Streptococcus pyogenes
infection, such as
streptococcal pharyngitis
or scarlet fever. Believed
to be caused by antibody
cross-reactivity that can
involve the heart, joints,
skin, and brain.

3. Rheumatic heart disease
Chronic rheumatic heart
disease (RHD) is
characterized by repeated
inflammation with fibrinous
resolution. The cardinal
anatomic changes of the
valve include leaflet
thickening, commissural
fusion, and shortening and
thickening of the tendinous
cords.It is caused by an
autoimmune reaction to
Group A β-hemolytic
streptococci (GAS) that
results in valvular damage.

4. Treatment
The management of acute
rheumatic fever is geared
toward the reduction of
inflammation with anti-
inflammatory medications
such as aspirin or
corticosteroids. Individuals
with positive cultures for
strep throat should also be
treated with antibiotics.
Aspirin is the drug of choice
and should be given at high
doses.

5. Epidemiology
Rheumatic fever is common
worldwide and responsible
for many cases of damaged
heart valves. Rheumatic
fever primarily affects
children between ages 5
and 17 years and occurs
approximately 20 days after
strep throat. In up to a third
of cases, the underlying
strep infection may not
have caused any symptoms.