Does rheumatic fever spread?

Written by Li Jing
Rheumatology
Updated on August 31, 2024
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Firstly, rheumatic fever is a group of delayed sequelae caused by an infection of Group A Streptococci, simply put, it refers to a type of reactive arthritis that appears after an upper respiratory tract infection. It is associated with this streptococcus, and mostly occurs during the cold and humid seasons of winter and spring. It can affect people of any age, but is most commonly seen in children aged 5-14 and adolescents. Therefore, it is not a contagious disease, but rather a set of symptoms, such as fever and joint pain, appearing in individuals with weakened immune systems following an upper respiratory tract infection. Some people may even experience valvular heart disease. However, if treated actively in the early stages, the disease usually does not lead to any long-term consequences, unless it goes untreated or is treated under poor medical conditions, which may then result in rheumatic arthritis and rheumatic heart disease.

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Written by Liu Li Ning
Rheumatology
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Rheumatic fever anti-O titer generally how much?

Rheumatic fever anti-streptolysin O is generally above the upper limit of the normal range. Since each hospital uses different testing methods, there are differences. You need to determine based on the reference range of your local hospital laboratory what is normal and what exceeds the normal range. Anti-streptolysin O, also known as anti-O, is typically abnormal in cases of rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is a systemic inflammatory disease caused by an infection with Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Clinically, it is primarily characterized by fever, erythema marginatum, joint pain, subcutaneous nodules, and it can also include carditis. Some patients may exhibit symptoms of chorea.

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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Can people with rheumatic fever eat fish?

Patients with rheumatic fever can eat freshwater fish, but should try to eat less fish without scales and sea fish. For patients with rheumatic fever, the general dietary rule is to eat a light diet and reduce consumption of spicy, warming, oily, and rich foods. Foods such as celery, coriander, leeks, seaweed, mushrooms, beef, mutton, dog meat, and longan should be minimized. Seafood, such as shrimp and crab, which are high in protein, should also be consumed less. In addition to dietary considerations, patients with rheumatic fever should also avoid getting cold and pay attention to rest.

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Written by Liu Li Ning
Rheumatology
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How to test for rheumatic fever?

Rheumatic fever is a systemic connective tissue disorder occurring one to four weeks after an infection by Group A Streptococcus, primarily affecting the heart and joints, and commonly infects children and adolescents. The usual clinical manifestations include carditis, polyarthritis, chorea, erythema marginatum, subcutaneous nodules, joint pain, and fever. Common laboratory tests for this disease include: 1. Complete blood count, often showing mild anemia and a slight increase in white blood cell count. 2. Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. 3. Elevated C-reactive protein. 4. Antistreptolysin-O antibodies often greater than 500 units. 5. Positive throat swab culture. 6. Echocardiogram, which may show vegetations.

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Written by Liu Li Ning
Rheumatology
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Does rheumatic fever cause an increase in body temperature?

Rheumatic fever may lead to increased body temperature; fever is one of the common clinical manifestations of rheumatic fever, primarily associated with streptococcal infections. Other common symptoms of rheumatic fever include joint pain or arthritis, erythema marginatum, subcutaneous nodules, chorea, and carditis. During the acute phase, penicillin antibiotics can be used to treat the infection. At the same time, it is important to rest adequately and consume high-quality protein foods to ensure sufficient nutrition and calories. Foods rich in high-quality protein such as lean meat, milk, and eggs should be consumed appropriately. In addition, symptomatic treatment is also crucial. For arthritis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used, and corticosteroids are necessary for treating carditis.

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Written by Li Jing
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What are the symptoms of rheumatic fever?

Rheumatic fever is a delayed, non-suppurative sequelae caused by a streptococcus infection. It primarily presents as arthritis, heart valve disease, chorea, subcutaneous nodules, and erythema, and some cases also exhibit fever. It mainly occurs in adolescents and children aged 5 to 14. It is primarily related to symptoms that appear after an upper respiratory tract streptococcus infection. If the individual has good resistance, symptoms may only resemble those of a cold, such as sore throat, runny nose, and fever, and these symptoms can be relieved after anti-infection treatment without any residual sequelae. However, people with weaker resistance may develop these sequelae after an upper respiratory tract infection, including joint pain and heart valve disease. Therefore, it is crucial to receive proper treatment during the acute phase to prevent any lasting sequelae.