Public health impact of Acute Rheumatic Fever
In developed nations, ARF has dramatically declined in incidence over recent decades, although it is unclear to what degree this is a result of changes to socioeconomic conditions and antibiotic availability versus changes in M-serotype prevalence patterns. Unfortunately, ARF remains a considerable public health burden worldwide, particularly in India, south- and east Africa, Aboriginal Australia, and Oceania. Recent estimates suggest a prevalence of 15 million RHD cases worldwide, with an annual incidence of over 200,000. RHD represents 25% to 40% of all cardiovascular disease in many developing countries.
