Health Mondays: A Focus On Rheumatic Fever

Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory(swelling) condition that may affect the joints, heart, skin and brain. 

It normally develops as a complication of throat infection(strep throat/scarlet fever) by a certain bacterium called group A streptococcus.

This happens mostly due to lack or under-treatment of the throat infection by the group A streptococcus bacterium. 

Rheumatic fever on average develops 2 to 4 weeks after the throat infection.

The group A streptococcus bacterium has a certain protein in it similar to one also present in human tissues.

This will bring "confusion" in certain cells known as antibodies that normally protects us from infection, resulting into a certain state known as autoimmunity.

In autoimmunity, our body's antibodies starts destroying/fighting our normal cells accidentally as it fights the group A streptococcus. 

This may later give rise to several organs damage if not treated.

Rheumatic Fever Symptoms

• Fever.
• Fatigue.
• Joints pain.
• Swollen/tender joints.
• Chest  pain.
• Uncoordinated body movements/emotional outbursts(this happens once there is brain involvement, the condition is known as Sydenham chorea).

Rheumatic Fever Risk Factors

• Environmental(overcrowded places/poor sanitation).
• Untreated or under treated group A streptococcus bacterium infection.
• Family(certain people have an inheritable gene that highly predisposes them to develop rheumatic fever when infected by the streptococcus).

 

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