Acute Rheumatic Fever in a South Florida County Hospital, 1967-1971

It has been previously reported that the incidence of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) in South Florida is less than in other metropolitan areas of the United States. It has been suggested that when acute rheumatic fever does occur the morbidity and mortality are significantly decreased. A five-year retrospective study of hospitalized cases revealed 98 episodes of ARF in 95 patients. The clinical manifestations paralleled data from recent surveys in two northern cities and included arthritis in 78 episodes, carditis in 54, chorea in two, and erythema marginatum and subcutaneous nodules in one case each. There were three deaths due to malignant pancarditis. Clinical, laboratory, and demographic data were also similar for this group and indicate rheumatic fever in Miami is not unlike the pattern of illness in other endemic areas of this country.