Tag Archives: RHD mortality

Dear Sirs, Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most common acquired heart disease in children in many parts of the world, especially in developing countries. The global burden of disease caused by rheumatic fever and RHD currently falls disproportionately on children and young adults living in low-income countries and is responsible for about 233,000 deaths annually. At least 15.6 million people are estimated to be currently affected by RHD, with a significant number of them requiring repeated hospitalisation and often unaffordable heart surgery in the next five to 20 years.1 Primary prevention of acute rheumatic fever is achieved by treatme