What is rheumatic fever?

Rheumatic fever is a disease that causes inflammation, swelling, and redness of various body tissues and organs. The disease can damage your heart, joints, central nervous system, and skin.

How does it occur?

The exact cause is unknown, but rheumatic fever follows a throat infection caused by certain kinds of Streptococcus bacteria. It may occur at any age, but is most common between the ages of 5 and 15. Poverty and over-crowded living conditions may make one more likely to get the disease.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms, which usually begin 1 to 6 weeks after a sore throat, include:

• feeling tired and feverish

• stomach pain

• vomiting

• aching and swollen joints (ankles, knees, elbows, wrists), with the pain and swelling often moving from joint to joint

• irregular, jerky, uncontrollable movements of your face, arms, and legs

• pea-sized bumps just under the skin, usually over large bony areas like your knees

• areas of pink rash with clear centers

• weakness and shortness of breath.

How is it diagnosed?

Your doctor will examine you and ask questions about your symptoms. Also, your doctor may order:

• a test for antibodies to the streptococcal bacteria in your blood

• an electrocardiogram of your heart to check for abnormal heartbeats.

What is the treatment?

Your doctor may prescribe:

• penicillin or a similar drug to kill the streptococcal bacteria

• aspirin or steroid drugs to control your fever, joint pain, and inflammation

• sedatives and tranquilizers to help control jerky movements

• bed rest until your temperature returns to normal without medications (anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months).

How long will the effects of rheumatic fever last?

Beginning antibiotic treatment early may prevent permanent damage to the heart.

Heart damage may not show up until months or years after the rheumatic fever. All heart tissues can be affected, but heart valves are most often involved.

The effects depend on the degree to which your heart has been affected and on whether you can avoid recurrences, because the severity of the heart trouble is often related to the number of attacks of rheumatic fever. You may have to take penicillin daily for months or years to prevent further streptococcal infections.

How can I take care of myself?

• It is important to take the full course of antibiotics your doctor prescribed.

• Stay in bed and rest.

• Drink lots of fluids.

Call your doctor if you have:

• any further sore throats

• upset stomach, ringing in the ears, headaches, or excessively fast breathing, which may be reactions to taking aspirin frequently

• difficulty breathing

• pain near your heart

• high fever despite taking your medication.

What can be done to help prevent rheumatic fever?

See your doctor if you have a sore throat that lasts for more than 24 hours and is accompanied by a fever. Rheumatic fever can usually be prevented by treating streptococcal throat infections with antibiotics.