Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Serbia Proper, Yugoslavia, 1970-1979

Abstract

The occurrence of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the period 1970-1979 is analysed on the basis of morbidity and mortality data. It was found that: -Rheumatic fever first attacks rate and rheumatic fever recurrent attacks rate in 1979 were by 80% and 91% lower respectively, compared with 1970 rates; - The disease became milder and the number of RF with heart involvement decreased especially in population over 19 years old; -In the ten year period mortality rate from rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease decreased 2.8 times; -In the age group 15-24 mortality did not decline so noticible and mortality rate in this age group is still ten times higher than the same rate in the most developed countries; -Among all defined causes of death (except accidents), in the age group 15-24, rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (taken together) fell from first or second place to the eleventh or tenth place in the last years under review; -One can expect that the declining trend of morbidity and mortality from rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease will continue though probably slower than in the preceding period.