Rheumatic+Fever

Rheumatic Fever __ Symptoms __ Polyarthritis: Carditis:
 * Pains in the joints which can be arthritis, or joint inflammation. This can affect more than one joint at a time. [[image:http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTgyXK9G9k3xpivw-yV7FWQcrBs6U6-7W1_-hIbwkvVB1VxWjPofQ width="187" height="270" align="right"]]
 * Can travel throughout the body while people have it.
 * The pain from polyarthritis can be so painful than it hurts to have bed covers on or heavier clothing.
 * It causes no long term damages.
 * Inflammation of the heart.
 * Can affect the valves, muscles and outer covering of the heart.
 * If it is not treated it can lead to heart failure.
 * Heart beats faster than usual.

Sydenham’s chorea:
 * Occurs to only 15% of patients
 * Consists of sudden jerking movements that can’t be controlled.
 * Goes away after a certain amount of months depending on how bad the Rheumatic fever is.

Subcutaneous Nodules:
 * 3-10% gets this.
 * Bumps under skin that’s around boney area.(Seen in picture below)
 * Comes only when the fever is very bad.

__Popular Areas__

Popular areas to find rheumatic fever are: By: Josh Egle
 * Asia and Africa
 * In north America it is uncommon to have rheumatic fever.

__ How it Affects Reproduction __ Rheumatic Fever affects the reproduction process because if your child has Rheumatic Fever it may possibly die and it usually runs through the family. And if you have Rheumatic Fever while you are pregnant it can hurt and potentially kill it. You will also never be able to have babies again because your heart will be damaged so much that if you do then it could also kill you. __ How do you get it and how does it hurt you? __ This disease comes from strep throat because if you have too much bacteria in your lungs Rheumatic fever will start. It will also cause damage to your heart valves causing you to have heart attacks and heart diseases. 3 out of 1,000 people will get Rheumatic Fever when they have strep throat. Most people get Rheumatic fever in cool, wet, damp weather in winter, and early spring. It lasts for longer than three months and when recovered you usually comeback with heart damage. The disease that actually gives Rheumatic Fever a start is actually strep throat. Strep throat is highly contagious and you can get it by bacteria from coughing. Also, the purpose of the immune system is to fight off bacteria; scientists believe that when you have Rheumatic Fever your immune system attacks you! Your body is fighting your body in this battle and you never know who is going to win the fight. By: Paige Hostetler

__ History of Rheumatic Fever __

-No one knows how long rheumatic fever has been around -During the 18th century, doctors began to notice children and adults with high temperature and aching joints -When it started, mainly got to lower class more than richer class -Studies show that the disease may have changed over time (symptoms) because older reports of it are different form the ones they get now -3 of every 1,000 people got rheumatic fever -Not specifically know who discovered it but the person who got most of the credit was named Maclyn MaCarty -Many thing s cause rheumatic fever, can come from the same symptoms as the flu, but there is no specific organism  By Alex M.

__ Rheumatic Fever Treatments: __

Treatments that did not work:


 * Using Alkalis this is a chemical that has the opposite properties then acids.
 * In 1800 Doctors used alkaline drugs.

**Pic to the above is of the** **bacteria that makes up penicillin.**

Treatments that work:
 * Main cure that works is penicillin.(penicillin is medicine from the mold)
 * 1) They in order to make it had to find the exact amount of medicine to get from the mold.
 * 2) Once they got that right they had to figure out how to give it to people in the small doses.
 * 3) Once everything was figured out in 1929 it didn’t make a difference in the world until 1943.
 * 4) Penicillin was used a lot in World War II it saved many lives during the war.
 * 5) Even after the war it was use to kill of very infectious diseases this kind of drug is considered an antibiotic or a medicine.
 * Without Penicillin kids would not have a chance against Rheumatic Fever that is how deadly it is.

For more information visit links below! Thanks for using our site!

By: Chloe Steffel

__**Bibliographies:**__

American, Heart Association. //Rheumatic Heart Disease//. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. .

Engle, Toby R, MD. “Rheumatic Fever.” //World Book Student//. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. .

Tasian, Sarah K, Md. “Rheumatic Fever.” //Teen Health and Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers//. N.p., June 2010. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. [].

Grantz, Nelson M. "Penicillin." //World Book Advanced//. World Book Inc., 29 Feb. 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2012.[]