What causes Rheumatic Fever?

Rheumatic fever occurs after a preceding sore throat. Signs of rheumatic fever usually occur 2-3 weeks after strep throat infection, but symptoms can come as early as one week and as late as after five weeks. The prevailing hypothesis is that rheumatic fever caused by an autoimmune process triggered by a throat infection with group A streptococci.

Inflammation of the heart is the most serious effect of the disease. Mitral valve (the valve between the left atrium and ventricle) is attacked in 75-80% of cases, aortic valve in 30%.

Rheumatic fever signs and symptoms

Inflammation of the heart it is present in 80-90% it can appear as chest pain, heart rhythm disturbances and heart failure.

Joint Inflammation it appears on 2/3 of patients and is 2-4 weeks after streptococcal infection lasting 1-5 weeks and usually heal completely. Common inflammation often moving from joint to joint, sometimes lasts inflammation in some joints only a few days and then spread to the next paragraph.

Rash (erythema marginatum) itchy rash with sharp demarcation towards the periphery and more diffuse boundary to the center. The rash may come and go.

Nodule under the skin is a relatively uncommon consequence of rheumatic fever in adults, but is more common in children persists for days and weeks and can come back?

Sydenham's Korean (St. Veit Dance) can sometimes be the only manifestation of rheumatic fever this affects 10-40%. Sydenham's Koreans are more frequent in girls and are seen rarely in adults. There is abrupt, purposeless, and involuntary movements and muscle weakness. Often accompanied by emotional disturbances. The condition is alarming, but is almost always by themselves.