Cost of Rheumatic Fever and of Its Prevention
- 1 March 1965
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Public Health Association in American Journal of Public Health and the Nations Health
- Vol. 55 (3) , 429-434
- https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.55.3.429
Abstract
Cost of rheumatic fever and heart disease is over $30,000,000 annually for official agencies in the USA. Based on USA Vital Statistics, rheumatic heart disease has an annual incidence of 0.1/1000 population, and a prevalence of 5/1000. Life expectancy is almost 47 years, a decrease of about 11 years from average. Prevention of rheumatic fever must be considered. Programs for prevention of secondary episodes are operating and are effective. Communities must consider the feasibility and economics of prevention of initial episodes, still a research problem. It depends on daily surveillance of school absenteeism, throat culturing of each suspected child, identification of group A streptococci in 24 hr. by fluorescent antibody microscopy, and adequate early institution of treatment.Keywords
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