Strep Throat May Lead To Rheumatic Heart Disease
Kids are prone to acquiring a number of illnesses as they age, and a common one they may be afflicted with is strep throat. Caused by the group A Streptococcus bacteria, this illness is easily spread from person to person but is relatively harmless and typically begins to resolve after treatment with antibiotics. In some cases, though, the infection may evolve into rheumatic fever, a condition that can damage the heart. Here's more information about this disease and what you can do to protect your child.
About Rheumatic Fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that can affect the joints, skin, brain, and heart. It will typically develop in the body anywhere from two to four weeks after a person catches strep throat. It's not a common disease, but approximately 19 out of every 100,000 people will be diagnosed with it, and it usually affects kids between the ages of 5 and 15.
People develop rheumatic fever primarily because the strep throat infection they had was poorly treated (e.g. didn't consume the antibiotics as directed) or left untreated altogether. The bacteria appears to trick the immune system into attacking its own tissues by secreting a protein that mimics one found in the body. This leads to the onset of damaging inflammation.
Symptoms of rheumatic fever include:
- High fever
- Pain in the joints (commonly the ankles and knees)
- Joints that feel hot
- Swollen joints
- Chest pain
- Development of a heart murmur
- Fatigue and weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Painless rash with ragged edges
- Uncontrollable jerky movements
- Sudden outbursts of uncharacteristic behavior such as crying or laughing for no apparent reason
It takes about four to six weeks for the disease to run its course; after which the person will return to normal.
Rheumatoid Fever to Rheumatoid Heart Disease
It is believed that rheumatoid heart disease develops when the virus causes the immune system to attack the heart, leading to scarring and the development of a number of abnormalities, such as valvular damage.
Sometimes the damage is temporary and mild enough that it will heal without requiring treatment. Other times—particularly when the child suffers recurring strep and rheumatoid fever infections—it can result in permanent damage. This damage increases the child risk of experiencing heart trouble down the line such as developing an infection in the heart valves. The issues can sometimes have fatal consequences.
Preventing Rheumatoid Fever
The only sure way of preventing rheumatoid fever is to thoroughly treat strep throat when it occurs and minimize the child's risk of being infected again. This includes ensuring the child takes the full course of antibiotics prescribed even when it appears the infection has been cleared. Regularly disinfecting areas where the child plays and teaching him or her good hygiene (e.g. wash hands) can reduce the risk of your child being infected by strep from someone who has the disease.
Treating Rheumatoid Heart Disease
If your child has been diagnosed with rheumatoid heart disease, there are a number of treatment options available including the use of anti-inflammatory medications and surgery. Consult with a doctor who specializes in children cardiology treatment for assistance with getting your child the treatment he or she needs to manage the condition.
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