What is rheumatic heart disease and how do you get it?
The disease results from damage to heart valves caused by one or several episodes of rheumatic fever, an autoimmune inflammatory reaction to throat infection with group A streptococci (streptococcal pharyngitis or strep throat). It most commonly occurs in childhood, and can lead to death or life-long disability.
What is the most common cause of rheumatic fever?
Rheumatic fever can occur after a throat infection from a bacteria called group A streptococcus. Group A streptococcus infections of the throat cause strep throat or, less commonly, scarlet fever.
What happens to the heart in rheumatic fever?
How does rheumatic fever damage the heart? This infection causes swelling and muscle damage to the heart. It can also damage the heart valves in a way that keeps the blood from moving through the heart normally. The infection can cause heart valve leaflets to stick together, which narrows the valve opening.
What is the mechanism of rheumatic fever?
Acute rheumatic fever is a multiorgan inflammatory disorder affecting the heart, joints, brain, and skin. The pathogenic mechanism of molecular mimicry involves autoantibodies and T cells directed against group A streptococcal cell wall components and heart or brain antigens that have been extensively investigated.
Is rheumatic fever genetic?
Rheumatic fever is likely inherited in a multifactorial manner, which means it is caused by multiple genes interacting with each other and with environmental factors .
What is the difference between rheumatic heart disease and rheumatic fever?
Rheumatic heart disease is a condition in which the heart valves have been permanently damaged by rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that can affect many connective tissues, especially in the heart.
What murmur does rheumatic fever cause?
The Carey Coombs Murmur occurs during acute rheumatic fever. Mitral valvulitis can occur causing thickening of the leaflets. A murmur is created by increased blood flow across the thickened mitral valve. This can be distinguished from rheumatic mitral valve stenosis by the absence of an opening snap.
What are the risk factors of rheumatic heart disease?
Risk factors include poverty, overcrowding and reduced access to medical care. Stopping episodes of recurrent ARF can prevent rheumatic heart disease. Once acute rheumatic fever is diagnosed, stopping further episodes of ARF can halt progression of the disease.
What is a rheumatic?
Rheumatic diseases are autoimmune and inflammatory diseases that cause your immune system to attack your joints, muscles, bones and organs. Rheumatic diseases are often grouped under the term “arthritis” — which is used to describe over 100 diseases and conditions.
What are the complications of rheumatic heart disease?
Some complications of rheumatic heart disease include:
- Heart failure. This can occur from either a severely narrowed or leaking heart valve.
- Bacterial endocarditis. This is an infection of the inner lining of the heart.
- Complications of pregnancy and delivery due to heart damage.
- Ruptured heart valve.
Can rheumatic fever be cured?
Yes, rheumatic fever can be cured by adequate medication and rest. But you have to take secondary prophylaxis to prevent further attack. Rheumatic fever is a disease of childhood, but very few cases it can attack the adults. It commonly affects 5–15 years age group.
Is rheumatic fever an autoimmune disease?
Rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that may develop after an infection with group A Streptococcus bacteria. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that may develop after an infection with group A Streptococcus bacteria (such as strep throat or scarlet fever).
What are the symptoms of Romantic Fever?
Symptoms usually pass within a few months but can last up to 2 years. They are not normally permanent. Other symptoms include a red, blotchy, skin rash, which appears in 1 in 10 cases. Less common are nosebleeds, abdominal pain, bumps and lumps, or nodules, under the skin, and a high fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can heart problems cause fever?
Fever in some degree occurs in a large proportion of patients with congestive heart failure. A slight increase in temperature may possibly be dependent on the increase in the metabolic rate which many patients exhibit, but fever of more considerable magnitude usually signifies infection, infarction, or thrombus formation.