What is rheumatic fever?
Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of a person's tissues, particularly the joints and heart.
Rheumatic fever occurs when the immune system overreacts to an untreated strep throat or strep throat infection. When these infections are left untreated, the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing swelling and inflammation, affecting the joints, blood vessels, and heart.
A common symptom of rheumatic fever is a rash.
The following signs are characteristic:
- Swelling, redness of the joints;
- Chorea (involuntary shaking of the limbs);
- Small nodules under the skin;
- Chest pain or abnormal heartbeat;
- General weakness and fatigue;
- Fever;
- Muscle pain;
- Swollen, reddened tonsils;
- Headache.
Rheumatic fever can occur in people of any age, although it is most common in people between the ages of 5 and 15.
Source:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16616-rheumatic-fever
