Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in resource-limited settings

Watson, Gabriella
Jallow, Bintou
Le Doare, Kirsty
Pushparajah, Kuberan
Anderson, Suzanne T

¹Gambia Unit, Medical Research Council, Fajara, The Gambia
²Wellcome Centre for Global Health Research, Imperial College, London, UK
³Department of Congenital Heart Disease, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

Dr Gabriella Watson, Gambia Unit, Medical Research Council, PO Box 273 Fajara, The Gambia; [email protected]

Received December 26, 2014

Received in revised form February 2, 2015

Accepted February 3, 2015

Archives of Disease in Childhood 100(4):p 370-375, April 2015. | DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2014-307938

Poststreptococcal complications, such as acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD), are common in resource-limited settings, with RHD recognised as the most common cause of paediatric heart disease worldwide. Managing these conditions in resource-limited settings can be challenging. We review the investigation and treatment options for ARF and RHD and, most importantly, prevention methods in an African setting.