Rheumatic Fever, its Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment

Abstract

SummaryThe clinical picture of rheumatic fever varies considerably. The course is monocyclic, polycyclic or progressive. The cardiac affection is the central feature, but the vessels, lungs, pleura, kidneys, central nervous system, eyes, skin and subcutaneous tissue are often engaged. The clinical findings differ from the morphological, thus the pericardium is engaged in 10% and 28%, respectively, the pleura in 4.5% and 44%, respectively. Subcutaneous nodules are common, as are also vascular lesions in the brain and peripheral chorioiditis.The process in the joints is not limited to a synovitis. The subsynovial tissue is always engaged together with the surrounding connective tissue, vessels, bursae, tendon sheaths, fascias and musculature. Monoarthritis is uncommon. With increasing age the joint syndrome is often more prolonged and in exceptional cases passes over into a chronic arthritis.α- and γ-globulins in serum, antistreptolysins fraction C of the O-antigen, antifibrolysin, antihyaluronidase enzyme ...