OBJECTIVE Reports have suggested that streptococcal infection may be etiologically related to pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders (PANDAS), but there are few good epidemiologic studies to support this theory. Using population-based data from a large West-Coast health maintenance organization, we assessed whether streptococcal infection was associated with increased risk for obsessiv...

It is now well established that practically all initial attacks and subsequent recurrences of rheumatic fever are precipitated by antecedent Group A hemolytic streptococcal infection. Evidence to support this concept has been based on the close epidemiologic and bacteriologic association of acute rheumatic fever and streptococcal infection (1-9) as well as on the striking similarity of the anti...

S ome features of rheumatic valvar disease resemble the histopathology of herpesvirus infection. While the prevalence of rheumatic fever (RF) has declined in developed countries, 15–20 million cases of RF occur each year in developing countries and RF remains the leading cause of acquired heart disease among children and young adults. A resurgence of RF has been observed in both Europe and the ...

Of 74,920 babies live born in Oxford between 1985 and 1996, 41 (0.5 per 1000 95% CI 0.4-0.7) developed definite, culture confirmed, early onset (< 48 hours) group B streptococcal infection and 32 (0.4 per 1000 95% CI 0.3-0.6) developed probable infection (sepsis plus colonisation). There was no significant variation in incidence with time. The mortality from definite infection was 19.5%, and fr...