Rheumatic Fever and Heart Problems
Topic Overview
Rheumatic fever is a bacterial infection that can cause problems with the heart's aortic and mitral valves.
Rheumatic fever is caused by certain strains of streptococcal bacteria. A strep throat infection that isn't properly treated can trigger rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can damage heart muscle and heart valves. Not all people who have rheumatic fever develop rheumatic heart disease.
How does rheumatic fever damage the heart?
This infection causes swelling and muscle damage to the heart. It can cause heart valve leaflets to stick together, which narrows the opening of the valve. This narrowing prevents blood from moving through the heart normally.
If the Reference aortic valve Opens New Window is narrowed, this problem is called Reference aortic valve stenosis Opens New Window.
If the Reference mitral valve Opens New Window is narrowed, this problem is called Reference mitral valve stenosis Opens New Window.
Who is affected by rheumatic fever?
Rheumatic fever is rare in Canada, the United States, and western Europe. But it was fairly common until the 1950s. Widespread use of antibiotics to treat strep throat has greatly lowered the number of new cases of rheumatic fever.
Today, most rheumatic fever cases occur in developing countries, particularly Africa and southeast Asia.
Some people may develop a heart valve disease after having rheumatic fever as a child. It might take 30 to 40 years after a case of rheumatic fever for a valve problem to develop.
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