A6 year old female is takn to her pediatrician for a checkup. as the doctor takes the childs history, her mother reports that the child had a severe sore throat weeks earlier that regressed without treatment. upon examination the pediatrician notes that the child has a systolic heart murmur consistent with mitral insufficiency and suspects she has rheumatic fever.
a. how was the earlier pharyngitis r/t the subsequent development of rheumatic fever?
b. rheumatic fever is diagnosed on clinical and serological findings. what test should be done to diagnose rheumatic fever?
c. how are rheumatic fever pts treated?

A.  because she probably got infected with Streptococcus Pyogenes, a bacteria that affects the heart valves and joints

B.

Complete Blood Test

PCR

VSG

Streptococcus antibodies

C. Antibiotics.

Explanation:

Streptococcus Pyogenes is a bacteria that is spread by direct contact with an infected person and targets the throat, thus activating T cells and B cells to produce antibodies against the bacteria, nonetheless these antibodies also attack body tissues as the heart, specifically the mitral valve and peripheral joints.

the clinic is characterized by sore throat, fever with remission and  two weeks later, joint pain, swelling and/or heart murmurs on examination.

The blood test will indicate if there is a bacterial infection, and the other tests will tell if there is inflammation, the antibodies will confirm the presence of the bacteria in blood.

The best antibiotic to treat this infection is penicillin, there are different types of penicillin, the best option for this specific infection is benzathine G penicillin, nonetheless  other types can be use, such as macrolides ( azithromycin) and also combination of antibiotics such as a penicillin plus clavulanic acid.