Rheumatic fever affects the entire heart, but seems to do the most damage to the heart's valves.
Fortunately, rheumatic heart disease can be prevented by early diagnosis and treatment of streptococcal infections. If a strep infection goes undiagnosed or untreated, rheumatic fever can develop. Unfortunately, the symptoms of rheumatic fever can mimic those of many other illnesses. If your child experiences any of these symptoms, or if you yourself are in doubt, check with your child's doctor and mention that you suspect rheumatic fever. In the future, rheumatic heart disease may well become a thing of the past.