Acute rheumatic fever in Wisconsin.

Medical records of patients discharged from Children's Hospital of Wisconsin from January 1980 to May 1988 who fulfilled the revised Jones criteria for acute rheumatic fever were reviewed. A total of 13 patients were hospitalized with a first attack of acute rheumatic fever during this period. Migratory polyarthritis was present in 92% of the patients and carditis in 62%. Mitral regurgitation was present in all cases of carditis. Only six patients (46%) had a history of a preceding streptococcal infection, half of whom were treated with antibiotics. While there is no evidence to support a new outbreak of acute rheumatic fever in Wisconsin, our data demonstrate that the disease is still prevalent within the eastern region of the state. Patients with Group A streptococcal pharyngitis must be identified and treated to prevent this disease from increasing in incidence.