Streptococcus: Secondary Diseases

The following are the most important diseases or complications that may be contributed to by streptococcal infections:

Cardiovascular system (I00-I99).

  • Acute rheumatic fever (ARF; β-hemolytic group A streptococci)-inflammatory rheumatic systemic disease of the skin, heart, joints, and brain; sequelae of infection with β-hemolytic group A streptococci; now rare after pharyngitis (pharyngitis) due to streptococcal age peak because of adequate antibiotic therapy: 3-15 year oldsThe risk of developing rheumatic fever after infection with β-hemolytic group A streptococci is influenced by a gene variant for the immunoglobulin long chain.

Nervous System (G00-G99)

  • Neurologic abnormalities (obsessive-compulsive disorders, OCDs, such as athetoses and chorea minor).

Genitourinary system (kidneys, urinary tract – reproductive organs) (N00-N99).

  • Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (synonym: postinfectious glomerulonephritis) – acute glomerulonephritis (inflammatory kidney disease that occurs on both sides of the glomeruli (renal corpuscles) and can lead to permanent kidney damage); typically occurs 2 weeks after infection with group A ß-hemolytic streptococci