Hello.
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com
I understand your concern.
The issue with most viral infections are that their manifestations are extremely varied, and it becomes difficult to pin point the exact infection. In fact there is a term called viral arthritis, a self limiting disease where a patient gets joint pain along with fever, and it is self limiting, resolving within 2 weeks.
In your son's case you're right, some of the symptoms do suggest RF. Most RF cases start with a throat infection and then the joints get involved. But they have more of a migratory polyarthritis ( multiple joint involvement ), and even the rash is erythmea marginatum, where there are small circular eruptions mostly involving the trunk and upper extremities. So what goes against our assumption of him having RF is this rash which you said is more in the chest region and back.
However since most other causes such as Lyme's disease has been ruled out, it is better if we rule out ARF too. I will advise you to get his ASO titre test done and that will give a more clearer picture. Along with that i will advise you to get ESR and CRP test done for him. With these 3 values, ARF diagnosis can be established/ruled out.
Hope this was helpful,
Regards.
Patient replied :
If it is RF-is it treatable?
Hello.
Yes it is definitely treatable.
RF takes time to develop into Rheumatic Heart Disease.
The treatment required is 3 weeks of Penicillin/ Erythromycin.
And moreover it is a bacterial infection, hence if treated early there are no future worries.
It won't be prudent to start the treatment without getting the ASO titre results. So once you get them done, let me know.
Kind regards