TREATMENT OF STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS

This article is the second revision of the American Heart Association statement on the prevention of rheumatic fever issued January 1953. This statement was prepared by the Committee on Pre-vention of Rheumatic Fever and Bacterial Endocarditis appointed by the Council on Rheumatic Fever and Congenital Heart Disease of the American Heart Association. The committee is cog-nizant of the fact that no recommendations of any group can be final at this time. The present approach may not be the eventual solution of the problem of preventing rheumatic fever. Revi-sions and changes will be made as new knowledge may indicate. RHEUMATIC fever is a recurrent disease which in most instances can be prevented. Since both the initial and recurrent attacks of the disease are precipitated by infections with group A streptococci, prevention of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease depends upon the control of streptococcal infections. This may be accomplished by (1) early and adequate treatment of streptococcal infections in all individuals and (2) prevention of strepto-coccal infections in rheumatic subjects