What Is Rheumatic Heart Disease?
2. What Causes Rheumatic Heart Disease?
Rheumatic fever is an inflammation that commonly affects young people, and it is the cause of rheumatic heart fever. It develops when scarlet fever or strep throat caused by group A streptococcus bacteria is not treated correctly. Children between the ages of 5 and 15 are at the highest risk of developing an infection from this bacterium, so care should be taken to limit their exposure to sick people.
Left unchecked, rheumatic fever causes damage to connective tissues of the brain, joints, heart and skin. When that damage extends to the heart, it leads to rheumatic heart disease. That is why it is vital to get an accurate diagnosis of those conditions, no matter how minor they seem, and follow all treatment recommendations.
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