Eliminating acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease

Abstract

Acute rheumatic fever and its major sequela rheumatic heart disease are conditions of poverty. Acute rheumatic fever is an autoimmune response to pharyngitis caused by infection with Streptococcus pyogenes that is characterised by various combinations of fever, arthritis, cardiac valvular disease, chorea, and skin manifestations. Chronic valvular damage due to repeated episodes of acute rheumatic fever is known as rheumatic heart disease and is the major cause of morbidity and mortality from acute rheumatic fever.