[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntecedent group A streptococcal pharyngitis is a well-established cause of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) where rheumatic valvular heart disease (RHD) and Sydenham chorea (SC) are major manifestations. In ARF, crossreactive antibodies and T cells respond to streptococcal antigens, group A carbohydrate, N-acetyl-β--glucosamine (GlcNAc), and M protein, respectively, and through molecular mimicry target heart and brain tissues. In this translational human study, we further address our hypothesis regarding specific pathogenic humoral and cellular immune mechanisms leading to streptococcal sequelae in a small pilot study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough immune responses against group A streptococci and the heart have been correlated with antibodies and T cell responses against cardiac myosin, there is no unifying hypothesis about carditis caused globally by many different serotypes. Our study identified disease-specific epitopes of human cardiac myosin in the development of rheumatic carditis in humans. We found that immune responses to cardiac myosin were similar in rheumatic carditis among a small sample of worldwide populations, in which immunoglobulin G targeted human cardiac myosin epitopes in the S2 subfragment hinge region within S2 peptides containing amino acid residues 842-992 and 1164-1272.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRheumatic heart disease is the only residual morbidity, and the sole cause of mortality, from rheumatic fever. Echocardiography is ideally suited to confirm and follow the course of rheumatic heart disease. Additionally, both minimal valvar pathology in children, and extensive valvar pathology in adults, may not cause a murmur and can be detected only by echocardiography.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an autoimmune disease occurring in individuals following untreated group A streptococcal infection believed to be triggered by antibodies to bacterial components that cross-react with human tissues. We developed a multiplexed immunoassay for the simultaneous quantitation of antibodies to nine streptococcal-related antigens including streptolysin O (SLO), DNase B, collagen I and IV, fibronectin, myosin, group A carbohydrate, M6 protein and streptococcal C5a peptidase. Utilizing this method, we examined serum from 49 ARF, 58 pharyngitis patients and age- and sex-matched controls in samples collected at initial disease onset, and at 4 weeks, 6 months and 1 year after diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To describe Sydenham chorea among children in a cohort of patients with rheumatic fever (RF).
Study Design: An existing database was used to identify demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and therapy in persons with RF identified in Salt Lake City, Utah, from 1985 through January 2002.
Results: Of 584 cases in the database, 537 (91%) were new-onset RF (median age of 10 years) and 177 (33%) had chorea.
Background: This study was performed to evaluate and compare the early, intermediate, and long-term outcomes of the bidirectional Glenn procedure and Fontan procedure in patients who live at moderately high altitude.
Methods: The outcome of each method of palliation for patients with a functionally single ventricle was retrospectively evaluated from a review of medical records.
Results: The bidirectional Glenn procedure was performed in 177 patients from October 1984 to June 2004.
Background: The incidence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) has increased recently in the western United States. We reviewed our 18-year surgical experience with RHD in children to examine current surgical techniques and results.
Methods: From 1985 until 2003, 596 children (<21 years) with rheumatic fever were seen at Primary Children's Medical Center.
D8/17, an alloantigen found on B lymphocytes, has been reported to be elevated in patients susceptible to rheumatic fever and may be associated with autoimmune types of neuropsychiatric disorders. The pediatric-autoimmune-neuropsychiatric-disorders-associated-with-streptococci model is a putative model of pathogenesis for a group of children whose symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette's disorder (TD) are abrupt and may be triggered by an infection with group A streptococci. As a test of this model, we have examined D8/17 levels on the B cells of patients with TD and acute rheumatic fever (ARF) along with those on the B cells of normal controls by flow cytometry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Our objective was to confirm an observed temporal association of increased numbers of rheumatic fever cases concomitant with the appearance of an increased prevalence of mucoid strains of Streptococcus pyogenes. During the resurgence of rheumatic fever (RF) that has occurred in the Intermountain area surrounding Salt Lake City, Utah, since 1985, the largest number of cases occurred in 1985 and 1986 and 12 years later in 1997 and 1998. During the initial outbreak and the later exacerbation of the resurgence, an increased number of mucoid strains of S pyogenes were present in the community.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Salt Lake City, Utah has seen a continuing resurgence of rheumatic fever (RF) since 1985.
Methods: emm genotyping and multilocus sequence typing of streptococcal isolates from periods of increased RF activity were performed.
Results: Multiple genotypes were present during 1985 and 1998, two peak years of RF activity, and in 1992, a year with reduced RF activity.
Objective: To review our experience with children who presented with rheumatic fever (RF) before 5 years of age and to compare their presentation with that of older children.
Methods: The cardiology database was reviewed to identify patients who were younger than 5 years and had a diagnosis RF using the Jones criteria from January 1985 through March 2000. Patient age, sex, date and age at presentation, and the major Jones criteria fulfilled were noted.
Despite pathologic evidence of myocardial inflammation, the significance of myocarditis in children with acute rheumatic carditis remains controversial. Elevations in cardiac troponin I have been demonstrated in other forms of myocarditis. The purpose of our study was to determine if levels of cardiac troponin I are elevated, suggesting myocardial injury, in patients with acute rheumatic carditis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe pathogenesis of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is poorly understood. We identified two contiguous bacteriophage genes, designated speL and speM, encoding novel inferred superantigens in the genome sequence of an ARF strain of serotype M18 group A streptococcus (GAS). speL and speM were located at the same genomic site in 33 serotype M18 isolates, and no nucleotide sequence diversity was observed in the 33 strains analyzed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute rheumatic fever (ARF) and subsequent rheumatic heart disease are rare but serious sequelae of group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections in most western countries. Salt Lake City (SLC), Utah, and the surrounding intermountain region experienced a resurgence of ARF in 1985 which has persisted. The largest numbers of cases were encountered in 1985-1986 and in 1997-1998.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute rheumatic fever (ARF), a sequelae of group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection, is the most common cause of preventable childhood heart disease worldwide. The molecular basis of ARF and the subsequent rheumatic heart disease are poorly understood. Serotype M18 GAS strains have been associated for decades with ARF outbreaks in the U.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP) is useful for support in patients with moderate left ventricular dysfunction. IABP is usually timed with the R wave of the electrocardiogram. We have utilized M-mode echocardiography timed IABP in children with left-side heart failure since 1994.
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