Rheumatic Heart Disease in Developing Countries: The Consequence of Inadequate Prevention
Authors: Margaret J. McLaren
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1994)

Editorials1 February 1994Rheumatic Heart Disease in Developing Countries: The Consequence of Inadequate PreventionMargaret J. McLaren, MB, BCH, Milton Markowitz, MD, and Michael A. Gerber, MDMargaret J. McLaren, MB, BCHUniversity of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030-1515., Milton Markowitz, MDUniversity of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030-1515., and Michael A. Gerber, MDUniversity of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030-1515.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-120-3-199402010-00012 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail In economically developed countries, rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease have become uncommon health problems. In contrast, in Third World areas such as India, the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, rheumatic fever remains the leading cause of heart disease in children and young adults [1-3]. The epidemiology of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in South Africa is particularly interesting because both of these disparate trends exist simultaneously in the same country. Among the white minority, who have experienced a more privileged socioeconomic and health care status under the apartheid system, rheumatic fever has decreased, as it has ...References1. Community control of rheumatic heart disease in developing countries: A major public health problem. World Health Organ Chron. 1980; 34:336-45. Google Scholar2. Agarwal BL. Rheumatic heart disease unabated in developing countries. Lancet. 1981; 2:910-11. Google Scholar3. Taranta AV, Markowitz M. Rheumatic fever. 2nd edition. London: Kluwer Academic Publishers; 1989:7. Google Scholar4. Edginton ME, Gear JS. 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