Validity of throat culture in rheumatic carditis | ||
| Medical Journal of Tikrit | ||
| Article 1, Volume 18, Issue 182, December 2012, Pages 14-17 | ||
| Author | ||
| Fakhir Y. Hussien | ||
| Abstract | ||
| A prospective study of 30 patients with acute rheumatic fever (ARF) as diagnosed by the revised Duckett Jones criteria was conducted during the period from October 1997- February 1998 in Mosul city. Special emphasis on the clinical presentation and laboratory investigation including throat culture (TC) for streptococci and antistreptolysin O (ASO) titer were performed to assess the validity of both tests in patients with and without rheumatic carditis. Arthritis was diagnosed in 24 patients (80%) most commonly involving big joints. Carditis was a complication in 8 patients (26.6%). Fever, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and high ASO titer were common for all patients. Throat culture was positive in 8 patients (26.6%) all without carditis, Those with carditis were negative for TC andthere was no history of prior antibiotic administration. It is concluded that TC for patients with carditis is not essential as evidence of previous streptococcal infection and raised ASO titer is enough. | ||
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