Recent increase in incidence of acute rheumatic fever in southern West Virginia.

Rheumatic fever appeared to decline in the United States in the 1970s and early 1980s. In the last two years, however, there have been multiple reports of the resurgence of rheumatic fever. Two of these reports originated in states that border West Virginia. This study demonstrates that there has been a similar outbreak in the southern part of West Virginia in 1988. In addition, it appears that the incidence of first-attack heart damage is high, and that physicians should maintain their vigilance in diagnosing and treating acute rheumatic fever.