Jeong SH, Shekhar N, Mutyala N, Canaday O. Distinguishing Acute Rheumatic Fever From Post-streptococcal Reactive Arthritis.
Cureus 2024;
16:e55739. [PMID:
38586781 PMCID:
PMC10998709 DOI:
10.7759/cureus.55739]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
We report an initial episode of post-streptococcal reactive arthritis (PRSA) in a 61-year-old male with group A streptococcal (GAS) bacteremia. The disease is commonly reported in young children and young adults. Additionally, this patient exemplifies the nonlinear boundaries of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and PRSA, bringing into question whether they are truly distinct disease entities. These two conditions oftentimes present in similar fashions, making it difficult for clinicians to determine a specific diagnosis. We highlight the importance of recognizing ARF versus PRSA as an incorrect diagnosis can lead to the development of harmful complications including rheumatic heart disease (RHD).
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