How does strep throat lead to congestive heart failure?

In some people, repeated strep infections cause the immune system to react against the tissues of the body including inflaming and scarring the heart valves. This is what is referred to as rheumatic fever. Rheumatic heart disease results then from the inflammation and scarring of heart valves caused by rheumatic fever.

Can strep throat spread to heart?

Rheumatic fever (acute rheumatic fever) is a disease that can affect the heart, joints, brain, and skin. Rheumatic fever can develop if strep throat and scarlet fever infections are not treated properly.

What is a serious complication of strep throat affecting the joints and heart?

About rheumatic fever

Most strep throats get better and don't lead to rheumatic fever. However, in a small number of people, an untreated strep throat develops into rheumatic fever, where their heart, joints (elbows and knees), brain and skin become inflamed and swollen.

How can a sore throat lead to heart disease?

Rheumatic fever starts with a sore throat caused by Group A Streptococcal bugs (bacteria). If the 'Strep throat' isn't treated, it can cause rheumatic fever, a delayed autoimmune reaction to the Streptococcal bugs. Rheumatic fever can damage your heart valves (rheumatic heart disease).

What can untreated strep throat lead to?

Caused by the group A streptococcus bacteria, strep throat is an infection that requires prompt treatment, particularly in children over the age of 3. Left untreated, strep throat can lead to kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever, a serious illness that can cause stroke and permanent damage to the heart.

Strep Throat to Rheumatic Heart Disease

What organs does strep throat affect?

What is the death rate of strep throat?

Who is at Higher Risk for Death Due to Streptococcus pyogenes? Overall death rates for all invasive S. pyogenes infections range from 10–30% (18). For severe invasive infections, such as necrotizing fasciitis and STSS, death rates can rise as high as 80% (6, 16, 17).

What streptococcal infection causes damage to the heart valves and heart muscle?

It usually starts out as a strep throat infection or scarlet fever that hasn't been treated with antibiotics. Rheumatic fever can cause inflammation of connective tissues throughout the body including the heart, joints, brain or skin.

Can sore throat affect your heart?

But if a sore throat is caused by a specific group of bacteria, heart damage may follow. Rheumatic fever, the inflammatory disease that may develop after so-called 'strep throat', can cause rheumatic heart disease – a deadly condition that kills more than 1 000 people worldwide every day.

How do tonsils affect the heart?

If Tonsillitis Is Caused by Strep, It Can Cause Rheumatic Fever. The damage to the heart valve, known as rheumatic heart disease, can affect you the rest of your life, says Clark.

What if strep throat doesn't go away after antibiotics?

"When strep throat doesn't respond to frontline antibiotics such as penicillin, physicians must start prescribing second-line therapies, which may not be as effective against this organism."

How does Streptococcus bacteria enter the body?

These bacteria are spread by direct contact with discharges from the nose and throat of infected people or by contact with infected wounds or sores on the skin. The risk of spreading the infection is highest when a person is ill, such as when people have "strep throat" or an infected wound.

How long does rheumatic heart disease last?

Inflammation caused by rheumatic fever can last a few weeks to several months. For some people, the inflammation causes long-term complications. One complication of rheumatic fever is permanent damage to the heart (rheumatic heart disease).

How does strep throat affect the kidneys?

The strep bacteria travel to the kidneys and make the filtering units of the kidneys (glomeruli) inflamed, causing the kidneys to be less able to filter urine. Fortunately, PSGN is less common today because of antibiotics.

What is the treatment of rheumatic heart disease?

Antibiotic therapy has sharply reduced the incidence and mortality rate of rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease. To reduce inflammation, aspirin, steroids, or non-steroidal medications may be given. Surgery may be necessary to repair or replace the damaged valve.

How often does strep throat lead to rheumatic fever?

Rheumatic fever is a complication of a strep throat. About three people out of every 10 who have a strep throat infection develop rheumatic fever. One common and potentially dangerous effect of rheumatic fever is damage to the valves of the heart. No single test can confirm a diagnosis of rheumatic fever.

Can congestive heart failure cause a sore throat?

Throat or Jaw Pain

By itself, throat or jaw pain probably isn't heart related. More likely, it's caused by a muscular issue, a cold, or a sinus problem. But if you have pain or pressure in the center of your chest that spreads up into your throat or jaw, it could be a sign of a heart attack.

Will strep throat go away on its own?

If you have strep throat—which is caused by bacteria—your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic, such as penicillin. But strep throat goes away on its own in 3 to 7 days with or without antibiotics.

Does strep throat need antibiotics?

Does strep throat require antibiotic treatment? The short answer is yes. “Unlike ear infections, which can be bacterial or viral in nature, strep throat is always caused by bacteria (group A streptococcus),” Moore clarifies.

What are the warning signs of endocarditis?

What infection causes endocarditis?

Two kinds of bacteria cause most cases of bacterial endocarditis. These are staphylococci (staph) and streptococci (strep). You may be at increased risk for bacterial endocarditis if you have certain heart valve defects. This gives the bacteria an easier place to take hold and grow.

What causes bacterial infection in the heart?

A heart infection can happen when microbes or other irritants invade your heart. The infections are most commonly caused by bacteria, viruses, and less commonly, by fungi.

How does strep throat turn into toxic shock?

In rare cases, the bacteria responsible for causing strep throat -- group A Streptococcus -- can penetrate beyond the superficial surfaces of the body and lead to necrotizing fasciitis, toxic shock syndrome, and even death.

What does streptococcal toxic shock syndrome look like?

Low blood pressure (hypotension) Faster than normal heart rate (tachycardia) Rapid breathing (tachypnea) Other signs that organs are not working (organ failure)

Is strep throat life-threatening?

People with strep throat can spread the bacteria to others until 24 hours after antibiotic treatment or for 10 to 21 days if not treated. Although rare, severe cases of strep can cause pneumonia, organ failure, long-term heart problems, life- threatening skin infection, arm/leg amputations, and death.