PURPOSE:

To determine the prevalence of rheumatic fever (RF) among children of a public high school in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

METHODS:

The study was performed from March to December/92, and involved high school students coming from families of the medium and low-medium social classes. Considering the total of 1,400 students registered in a public school and the estimated RF prevalence in the developing country, 729 students were randomly chosen to be interviewed and examined by a researcher. The children suspected of being affect by RF were submitted to echocardiography in order to find any cardiac lesions.

RESULTS:

Due to several different factors, only 550 students aging from 10 to 20 years were admitted in this study. Four children, previously under secondary prophylactics, had already had the diagnosis of RF. Among these children, only one had heart disease (combined mitral incompetence and stenosis, and aortic incompetence). From the other three children, only one had the diagnosis of RF confirmed according to the Jones criteria.

CONCLUSION:

From the ata obtained, the prevalence of RF was calculated in 3.6/1000.