Guide To The Causes And Complications Of Strep Throat

Rheumatic Fever

Rheumatic fever is a serious disease with adverse effects on the skin, heart, joints, and brain. Rheumatic fever is a complication that occurs as a result of untreated scarlet fever and strep throat. This condition develops in an individual who has untreated strep throat because group A streptococcus bacteria remain in the tonsils and continuously trigger responses by the immune system. This continuous stimulation of the immune system causes it to become hyperactive and behave abnormally. An abnormal immune response causes the immune system to attack other healthy tissues in the individual's body inappropriately. Symptoms of rheumatic fever that develop as a complication of strep throat include fever, tender joints, swollen joints, painless bumps underneath the skin, heart murmur, fatigue, painless rash with a ragged edge, involuntary body movements, and outbursts of abnormal or unusual behavior.