Rheumatic fever

Overview

Symptoms start 2 to 4 weeks after strep throat.

Heart valve damage (rheumatic heart disease) can show up years later.

Symptoms

Common signs:

• Fever and joint pain

Less common

• Rash
• Jerky movements
• Chest pain

Look up a symptom: Fever · Pain in many joints

When to get medical care

Causes

Immune reaction to strep.

Does it spread or run in families?

• Yes, it can spread from person to person.
• How it spreads: coughs, sneezes, or touch.
• Washing hands often and staying home when sick help protect others.

Who is more likely to get it

• Untreated strep

Possible complications

• Heart murmur or valve problem: Rheumatic heart disease
• Chorea (dance-like jerky movements): Sydenham chorea

Diagnosis

A clinician asks about your symptoms and may order tests.

The exam

A physical exam.

Tests

Tests, if needed:

• Blood tests:
• Echo:

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause and how severe it is.

Self-care

• Take preventive antibiotics as prescribed
• Keep heart checkups

Prevention

To lower your risk or catch problems early:

• Finish strep antibiotics

Which doctor treats this

• Start with your primary care provider (family doctor or internist).
• They may send you to an infectious disease specialist, for hard-to-treat infections.

Back to school, work, or sports

• Stay home until you've had no fever for 24 hours without fever medicine and you're feeling better.
• For the next 5 days, wash hands often and wear a mask around others.

Children, pregnancy, and older adults

• Children 5 to 15: Most common.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

• If you're pregnant or planning to be, tell your prenatal provider about this condition.
• Some infections can pass to the baby during pregnancy or birth. Tell your provider if you've been exposed.
• Don't start or stop any medicine on your own. Some are safe in pregnancy and some need to be changed.
• Ask before taking any pain reliever. The FDA advises avoiding ibuprofen and naproxen after 20 weeks unless your doctor says to.
• Breastfeeding: Most medicines are fine, but ask. The NIH LactMed database lists what's known about each one.

Outlook

Treatment prevents more heart damage.

Getting ready for your visit

Bring a list of your symptoms and medicines.

What to bring

• A list of your medicines and supplements
• Notes on when symptoms started and what makes them better or worse

Questions to ask

• What's causing this?
• What treatment do you recommend?

Research studies

Research studies test new ways to find and treat health problems. Some are looking for volunteers. Talk with your doctor before joining one.

Search ClinicalTrials.gov for studies on Rheumatic fever