Understanding Rheumatic Fever: Causes, Symptoms, and Complications
Classified in Biology
Written on in English with a size of 2.69 KB
Rheumatic Fever
Is a multisystem inflammatory disease that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain. The disease develops after a streptococcal infection (A beta-hemolytic – Streptococcus pyogenes) – mostly pharyngitis
Clinical Features
- Occur most often in children
- Develop 2-4 weeks after streptococcal infection
- Fever, malaise, and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate
- Rheumatic heart disease – pancarditis; inflammation of the entire heart (3 layers)
Pericarditis
Leads to serous effusions
Myocarditis
Leads to cardiac failure
Endocarditis
Leads to valvular damage
- Rheumatic endocarditis – mitral and aortic valves (mostly); the valves become thickened, fibrotic, deformed, & calcification (may)
- Joint involvement – arthralgia, arthritis,