{"product_id":"rheumatic-fever-information-sheet-english-he8168","title":"Rheumatic fever - information sheet - English - HE8168","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRheumatic fever is a serious illness that can cause major damage to your heart. A sore throat is often the first warning sign to watch out for. The illness mostly affects people aged between 3 and 35 years old. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLiving with someone who has rheumatic fever means you have a higher risk of getting it too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContact your GP, doctor, hauora or healthcare provider, or call Healthline free on \u003ca href=\"Tel:0800611116\" title=\"call 0800 611 116\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e0800 611 116\u003c\/a\u003e anytime 24\/7\u003c\/strong\u003e if anyone in your household aged 3 to 35 years develops a sore throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeek health advice every time this happens because the infection that causes rheumatic fever can keep coming back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough a sore throat is often the first warning sign, rheumatic fever can also:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003edamage the heart.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ecause pain in knees, ankles, elbows or other joints.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ecause unusual hand or arm movements.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf a person gets rheumatic fever, it may cause permanent damage to their heart valves. This is called rheumatic heart disease. People with rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease need to have antibiotic injections every 28 days (four weeks) for at least 10 years, to prevent rheumatic fever from happening again, and to stop further damage to the heart. Sometimes people with rheumatic fever end up needing heart surgery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat causes rheumatic fever\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRheumatic fever is triggered by a germ called Group A Streptococcus or “strep”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis germ can live in your throat without you having any symptoms, but in some people, it can cause a sore throat or a throat infection (known as strep throat).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes people with strep throat go on to develop rheumatic fever. It’s important to seek treatment for sore throats early, to help prevent the spread of the strep bacteria.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome research suggests strep skin infections may possibly be linked to rheumatic fever, but it’s not yet clear if they cause it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSigns and symptoms – What you can see and feel\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSeek treatment for sore throats early\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA sore throat is the main symptom of strep throat. In children, signs of a sore throat can include them finding it hard to swallow or having trouble eating or drinking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eLook out for symptoms of rheumatic fever\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot everyone who gets strep throat develops rheumatic fever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople who develop rheumatic fever also get the following symptoms, around one to five weeks after having a sore throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSore joints – this is the most common symptom of rheumatic fever. Joints may be red, swollen and feel hot. This includes the hips, knees, elbows, ankles and wrists. Different joints may be sore on different days. Sore joints may cause a limp or difficulty walking because of pain.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShortness of breath — they may feel short of breath more easily than usual when exercising.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA rash.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSmall painless lumps under the skin over the elbows, wrists, knees, ankles or spine.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnusual jerky movements of hands, feet, tongue and face. This can look like fidgeting or being unable to sit still and can affect handwriting. The movements stop during sleep.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) may also have:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003etummy pains\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eweight loss\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eextreme tiredness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ean ongoing fever of 38°C or higher that lasts a few days.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver time, most of these symptoms will go away. But heart damage can be permanent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSeeking health advice\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf you or anyone in your household aged 3 to 35 years has a sore throat, contact your GP, doctor, hauora or healthcare provider, or call Healthline free on \u003ca href=\"Tel:0800611116\" title=\"call 0800 611 116\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e0800 611 116\u003c\/a\u003e anytime 24\/7. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour healthcare provider may want to do some tests for strep, and you or your household members may be given a course of antibiotics. Taking the antibiotics can help prevent you or others in your household from getting rheumatic fever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople can get rheumatic fever more than once, so it’s important to get sore throats checked every time they occur.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour doctor may also want to check If you have a skin infection from the strep germ and treat it with antibiotics. Strep skin infections may cause:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eitchy red skin with blisters that crust and scab (usually around the nose, mouth or legs), or\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eredness, warmth, swelling and tenderness, or painful skin.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePrevention\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrep can spread easily in households, especially when there are lots of people living and sleeping in the same rooms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of strep spreading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvoid sharing drink bottles, cutlery, food or chewing food to give to a baby. This can pass strep germs from one person to another.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvoid preparing food for others while unwell or if you have a skin infection if possible.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, throw away the tissue afterwards, and wash and dry your hands thoroughly with soap and water.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvoid having multiple people sleep in the same room or share beds if possible.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFor more information:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVisit the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora website \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.healthnz.govt.nz\/health-topics\/conditions-treatments\/infectious-diseases\/rheumatic-fever\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Rheumatic fever\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eRheumatic fever\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFree NZ Relay Services are available at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nzrelay.co.nz\/index\"\u003eNew Zealand Relay Services\u003c\/a\u003e if you are Deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind or have speech communication difficulties.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCall Healthline on \u003ca href=\"Tel:0800611116\" title=\"call 0800 611 116\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e0800 611 116\u003c\/a\u003e, anytime 24\/7 for free health advice and information about what to do next. You can choose to speak with a Māori clinician if you are calling between 8am and 8pm. Interpreter services and NZ Relay support are also available.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor people living or visiting rurally, you can contact a doctor after hours at Ka Ora Telecare for free on 0800 2 KA ORA \u003ca href=\"Tel:0800252672\" title=\"call 0800 252 672\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e0800 252 672\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/kaora.co.nz\/app\/\"\u003eKa Ora Telecare\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA dedicated helpline for Disability support is available Monday to Friday, between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm. Call free on \u003ca href=\"Tel:0800111213\" title=\"call 0800 11 12 13\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e0800 11 12 13\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"SMS:8988\" title=\"text 8988\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003etext 8988\u003c\/a\u003e for help and information or visit \u003ca rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Disability Helpline\" href=\"https:\/\/healthpoint.co.nz\/disability-helpline\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDisability Helpline\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"HealthEd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49069804388580,"sku":"HE8168","price":0.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0102\/6916\/3582\/files\/4.0HE8168CDAcuteRheumaticFeverIS_English.jpg?v=1780438965","url":"https:\/\/healthed.govt.nz\/products\/rheumatic-fever-information-sheet-english-he8168","provider":"HealthEd","version":"1.0","type":"link"}