Adult-onset acute rheumatic fever.

A 62-year-old man was hospitalized for acute rheumatic fever. He had previously suffered from rheumatic fever at 15 years of age. The rheumatic fever was complicated by carditis, which caused valve disease that required surgical treatment. The incidence of rheumatic fever has decreased in most developed countries with improvements in sanitary conditions. The low incidence of this disease makes a timely and accurate diagnosis difficult. Due to the fact that both the first occurrence and recurrence of acute rheumatic fever can occur in the elderly and adults, this potential disease should not be overlooked when making a differential diagnosis.