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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Health Mondays: A Focus On Rheumatic Heart Disease

Rheumatic heart disease is a chronic condition in which the heart valves are damaged as a result of an inflammatory process caused by a certain condition known as rheumatic fever.

Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory condition that develops after throat infection by a bacterium known as group A- Streptococcus.

It may take time(even 10 to 20 years) before rheumatic heart disease develops after the rheumatic fever presenting. 

Statistically, up to 60 percent of people with rheumatic fever will likely later develop rheumatic heart disease as a complication.

Symptoms

• Chest discomfort.
• Chest pain.
• Strained breathing.
• Feeling of your heartbeat.
• Fatigue.
• Lightheadedness/dizziness.
• Swelling of the ankles/feet.

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Health Mondays: A Focus On Infective Endocarditis

 

Endocarditis is a condition characterized by inflammation(swelling) of the inner lining of the heart's chambers and valves known as endocardium.

If the cause of the inflammation is infection then it is known as infective endocarditis. 

The common organisms associated with this infection are normally of bacterial origin though some infections can also be caused by fungal organisms.

Infections due to fungal organisms normally take longer to respond to medication as compared to those caused by bacterial organisms.

Symptoms

Legs and abdominal swelling, chest pain, strained breathing, tiredness, fever alternating with chills, muscular/joints pain, presence of blood in the urine, loss of weight, pain below the left rib cage due to the swelling of the spleen as a complication and red spots at the palms/feet (a state known as Janeway lesions).

 

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