Rheumatic fever

What is rheumatic fever?

Rheumatic fever is an antibody mediated disease which can involve the joints, heart, brain and skin. Rheumatic fever most often manifests with low grade fever, pain and swelling of large joints – polyarthritis (knee, ankle, elbow). Usually it occurs in children, but can occur in adults as well. The most important aspect of rheumatic fever is that it can involve the heart, mainly its valves, producing long term damage to the heart.