Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD)

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is defined as a systemic inflammatory disease that may occur when group A 's hemolytic Streptococcus upper respiratory tract infection is not treated by Mosby (2010). Recurrent ARF causes an autoimmune reaction in the heart which can cause damage to myocardium and heart valve This condition is called rheumatic heart disease (RHD) (Mosby, 2010). It is mainly understood that cases of ARF and RDH affect people living in developing countries.

RHD is a condition in which permanent damage to the heart valve is caused by rheumatic fever. Bacterial infection, called group A Streptococcus, causes rheumatic fever. Treatment with antibiotics can prevent and control rheumatic fever. RHD is the most common acquired heart disease among children in many countries around the world, especially the Pacific Ocean and Fiji. This disease can lead to heart valvular fibrosis, atrophic valvular heart disease, heart failure and death. In this study, researchers at Oxford University, Fiji National University, Brigham Young University, Melbourne University, Utah Valley University, and several other institutions tried to find out why some people are likely to become RHD. Genetic analysis of samples from over 3,000 people revealed genetic differences in the code of certain antibodies between people with or without RHD

The term rheumatic heart disease refers to various kinds of acute and chronic heart diseases that can occur due to rheumatic fever, not to a single disease. Any part of the heart, including the pericardium and endocardium, can be damaged by inflammation caused by rheumatic fever. However, the most common form includes cardiac valves, particularly mitral valves. The coronary arteries open in the longitudinal direction. The coronary artery is surrounded by epicardial fat and extends from left to right in the center of the picture. Increased epicardial fat is associated with an increase in total fat. There are many fats here, suggesting a risk factor for atherosclerosis. The coronary arteries show only mild atherosclerosis, occasionally only yellowish brown lipid plaques, no decrease is seen.