|
Rheumatic fever is common worldwide and is responsible for many cases of damaged heart valves. Although it has become far less common in the U.S. since the beginning of the 20th century, there have been a few outbreaks since the 1980s. Rheumatic f...
|
|
|
Diagnosis of RF is done by carefully examining the patient. A list of diagnostic criteria has been created. These "Jones Criteria" are divided into major and minor criteria. A patient can be diagnosed with RF if he or she has either two major crit...
|
|
|
The initial description of diagnostic criteria for RF were created by William Cheadle in 1889, during a virulent outbreak of the disease in London. In the 1950s, T. Duckett Jones created a list of both major and minor diagnostics for RF. According...
|
|
Two different theories exist about how a bacterial throat infection can develop into rheumatic fever. One theory suggests that the bacteria produce some kind of poisonous chemical (toxin). This toxin is sent into circulation throughout the bloodst...
|