Guide To The Risk Factors And Causes Of Sydenham's Chorea

Strep Throat

An individual who has recently had strep throat is at a higher risk of developing Sydenham's chorea then someone who has not. Strep throat is an infection by group A streptococcus bacteria that produces pain and inflammation in the throat. It develops between one and five days following the individual's first exposure to the bacteria. Resolution with treatment may be a week, while untreated strep throat may take longer to resolve. The patient may go into a period of no symptoms for one to five weeks before they develop a post-infection illness called acute rheumatic fever. Sydenham's chorea is considered a delayed complication that occurs as a result of rheumatic fever. Individuals affected by rheumatic fever are at an even greater risk of developing Sydenham's chorea because it is the illness that precipitates it. Sydenham's chorea can develop as long as twelve months following the patient's initial strep throat infection. The average time frame between the strep throat and Sydenham's chorea is eight to nine weeks.

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