rheumatic fever

noun

, Pathology.

1. a serious disease, associated with streptococcal infections, usually affecting children, characterized by fever, swelling and pain in the joints, sore throat, and cardiac involvement.

rheumatic fever

noun

1. a disease characterized by sore throat, fever, inflammation, and pain in the joints

rheumatic fever

/ ro̅o̅-măt′ĭk /

1. An acute inflammatory disease resulting from infections that are caused by a certain strain of bacteria of the genus Streptococcus , such as strep throat, usually in the absence of antibiotic treatment. It is marked by fever and inflammation of the joints, nerves, and heart, where it can progress to scarring and permanent dysfunction of the valves.

rheumatic fever

1. An infectious disease occurring most often in children who have had a previous infection with a strain of streptococcus . Rheumatic fever, which is characterized by fever and joint pain, can cause permanent damage to the heart if left untreated. Antibiotics , such as penicillin , are used in treating the disease.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rheumatic fever¹

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

Because I did not attend college and spent all but one year of high school at home with arthritis following rheumatic fever, I had the good fortune to discover Shakespeare on my own.

From Washington Post

The organization cared for Ebola patients in Sierra Leone and, at the Salam Center for Cardiac Surgery in Khartoum, Sudan, children whose hearts were damaged by rheumatic fever.

From Washington Post

Bedridden Child Rather spent about three years of his childhood bedridden with rheumatic fever.

From The Daily Beast

Suppose you are married to Cytherea herself, and the next week attacked with a rheumatic fever.

From Project Gutenberg

When I was ten and going to school my father had a bad illness—rheumatic fever.

From Project Gutenberg

He fears that he is on the verge of rheumatic fever, and it is not improbable that that is exactly what he is.

From Project Gutenberg

You can't thrash when you have rheumatic fever—though you want to something awful, Mrs. White says.

From Project Gutenberg

Reaching Toronto, I learned that my eldest son was at death's door from repeated attacks of rheumatic fever.

From Project Gutenberg