What are ​Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease?

Also known as: Acute rheumatic fever, ARF, RHD

Rheumatic fever is a disease caused by the body's inflammatory response to a bacterial infection caused by a group A streptococcus bacterial infection of the throat. This is usually known for causing “ strep throat”. When the infection is not treated fast enough with antibiotics, the body’s own infection fighting proteins ( antibodies ) can attack other parts of the body, like heart, joints, skin and brain. In about half the cases damage to the heart occurs. This is called rheumatic heart disease.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM