Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease: an overview.

Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease are still major causes of disease in the developing world today. Diagnosis and prevention, particularly secondary prophylaxis, will become even more important as increased urbanization, with greater population pressure and economic problems, increase the prevalence. The number of children and young adults in their most crucial years of life who would avoid chronic disease and death would more than repay the investment of time and resources.