The incidence of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) has waned in Western countries, however that is not the situation in developing nations.
Records were reviewed of patients from the Eastern Cape municipal districts who presented to the Paediatric Cardiology Unit with ARF and RHD from January 2008 to August 2015.
Total of 56 patients with ARF/RHD was reviewed. The majority of patients (n = 52) presented for the first time with RHD. Four patients presented with ARF and two had recurrent ARF. Six patients presented with a combination of RHD and congenital heart disease. Twenty-three patients were operated on for chronic rheumatic valve disease, with good outcomes.
The true burden of ARF/RHD is unknown in the Eastern Cape. Prospective studies are needed to accurately determine the prevalence of RHD in this province.