Rheumatic Fever

Question 1

What is rheumatic fever

Answer 1

Complication of Lancefield A beta-haemolytic strep infection (Pharyngitis) that happens 2-4 weeks after infection. Antibodies form and react with the myocardial tissue causing rheumatic fever

Question 2

What organisms cause rheumatic fever

Answer 2

Lancefield Type A

-BETA-HAEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI

Question 3

Where in the world is RF most common

Answer 3

In developing world

Question 4

What is the criteria used in RF

Answer 4

The JONES criteria

Question 5

What is needed for a diagnosis through Jones criteria

Answer 5

Recent STREP infection (Scarlet fever, Pharyngitis)

2 Major or 1 Major w/ 1 minor

Question 6

What is the minor criteria for JONES RF

Answer 6

Fever
Arthralgia
Raised ESR/CRP
Prolonged PR interval

Question 7

What is the major criteria or JONES RF

Answer 7

Polyarthritis (Long joints)
Pancarditis (murmur/ tachycardia)
Sydenham’s Chorea (Involuntary movements at sleep)
Erythema Marginatum (pink rash of trunks, arms and thighs)
Subcutaneous nodules

Question 8

Why are valve complications so prevalent second to Rheumatic fever

Answer 8

Strep antigens can react with valve tissue causing damage

Question 9

How would you manage a patient with RF

Answer 9

IV Benzylpenicillin with Phenoxymethylpenicillin
NSAID for analgesia
Glucocorticoids for heart fail from carditis