Fact sheets

The Department of Health, Western Australia, does not produce fact sheets on this topic.

Public Health action

Acute rheumatic fever has been notifiable in Western Australia since September 2007.

The Public Health importance of acute rheumatic fever relates to its ability to cause permanent damage to heart valves. Regular, long-term antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent recurrent attacks of acute rheumatic fever is the mainstay of rheumatic heart disease prevention in people who have already had one episode. See below guidelines.

• RHD Australia. The Australian guidelines for prevention, diagnosis and management of acute rheumatic fever and management of acute rheumatic heart disease (2nd edition)
• RHD Australia. Diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever

• Kimberley Chronic Disease Therapeutic protocol (PDF 710KB) 

• WA RHD consent form (PDF 48KB) 

How to notify

The statutory requirement to notify acute rheumatic fever is specified in Part IXA of the Health Act 1911 and subsidary regulations.

Notifications should be made using the acute rheumatic fever notification form (PDF 197KB) 

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Up-to-date rheumatic fever notification data

• General infectious disease reports

For more information

• Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic. Therapeutic Guidelines Limited: Melbourne

Case definition

Reporting

Only confirmed cases should be notified.

Confirmed case

A confirmed case of acute rheumatic fever is based on a clinical assessment of the patient meeting the Jones criteria for acute rheumatic fever.

Initial episode of acute rheumatic fever:

In a patient with no known past history of acute rheumatic fever,

1.Two major manifestations

OR

2. One major and two minor manifestations

PLUS

3. Evidence of a preceding Group A Streptococcus infection

Recurrent episode of acute rheumatic fever:

In a patient with a past history of acute rheumatic fever,

1. Two major manifestations

OR

2. One major and two minor manifestations

OR

3. Three minor manifestations

PLUS

4. Evidence of a preceding Group A Streptococcus infection

Major manifestations: carditis, polyarthritis, erythema marginatum, subcutaneous nodules, polyarthralgia, aseptic mono-arthrits and chorea.

Minor manifestations: fever, ESR ≥30 mm/hr, prolonged PR interval and CRP ≥30 mg/L.

Probable acute rheumatic fever (initial or recurrent)

1. A clinical presentation that falls short by either 1 Major or 1 Minor manifestation,

OR

2. The absence of streptococcal serology results, but one in which acute rheumatic fever is considered the most likely diagnosis.