Rheumatic fever occurs mostly in children aged between 5 and 15 and can cause serious complications in them. Swelling and pain at different parts of the body (mainly the joints), skin rash (erythema marginatum), and a slight disorder of nervous system are the general symptoms that subside as the illness recedes but the more worrisome possibility is the damage of heart in a child that may remain as permanent.

What Causes Rheumatic Fever?

The bacteria called streptococcus, that also causes strep throat, is responsible for rheumatic fever. It starts with conditions such as strep throat or scarlet fever that occur due to group A streptococcal infection in children, and then slowly develops into a rheumatic fever if left untreated.