Rheumatic fever is a disease that causes inflammation throughout the body, especially in the joints, producing pain and swelling. It may also affect the heart, leading to heart valve problems ; the skin, causing a rash; or sometimes the nervous system, causing uncontrollable jerking movements.
Rheumatic fever develops after an infection, usually of the throat, caused by streptococcal bacteria.
The disease is believed to be caused by the immune system attacking the body’s tissues in response to the infection, rather than by the infection itself.
Treatment is with medication and bed rest