Epidemiological Development of Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Cardiopathy in Spain (1951-86)

Abstract

A study has been made of the death rate due to Rheumatic Fever (R.F.) and Rheumatic Heart Disease (R.H.D.) in Spain (1951-1985) as well as the disease rate due to Rheumatic Fever (1951-1988). It has been found that the death rate due to R..F. and R.H.D. has clearly decreased over the past 20 years, whilst it is important to note that disease rate due to R.F? has shown a noticiable increase over the past 10 years. And on comparing the death rate due to R.F. in Spain and in the United States, one finds that the U.S. death rate began to drop prior to that in Spain, it currently being minimal in both countries. Stress is glaced on the need to increase the control of streptococcus infections, specially throat infections, in our environment.