Rheumatic Fever Flashcards
How does rheumatic fever present?
sore, swollen joints (polyarthritis) restless in school/poor handwriting (chorea) short of breath (severe carditis) erythema marginatum subcutaneous nodules
Use of Jones criteria, most common in young children in poor areas
What leads to rheumatic fever?
Streptococcal pyogenes causing pharyngitis, followed by autoimmune response
What does Jones criteria say?
Major and minor symptoms (list of these)
Must have throat swab show presence of group A streptococcal bacteria
Strep confirmed plus 2 major criteria or one major and two minor
What are risk factors for rheumatic fever?
Social- poor housing/crowding; low decile education
Health- not equal access to healthcare
Economic: poverty
Ethnic-disparities, particularly with poverty
What is important in streptococcal management?
A 10 day treatment of oral penicillin or amoxycillin or a long lasting benzathine penicillin