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Lopez, Raimundo; Lopez, Jorge;
Mendez, Maria; Duenas, Alfredo;
Nordet, Porfirio.

Provincial Teaching General Hospital "Leon Cuervo Rubio"
Pinar del Rio. Cuba

Introduction: Rheumatic Fever (RF), is a disease affecting children 5-14 years of age, constitutes a very important health problem in many countries of the third world. Its decreasing or eradication it is possible.

Objectives: To determine the trends in the prevalence and incidence of RF. in the infant population of this province, in a period of time of ten years, and to evaluate the impact of the Program of control of this disease.

Methods: The incidence, prevalence, some social factors and medical care aspects were registered in 1986 and 1996 among the children 5-15 years of the Pinar del Ro Province in Cuba. All the children suspected of having a RF. were evaluated in a central cardiopediatric clinic. For diagnostic the Modified Jones criterias were used. All new positive cases in the period were registered.

Results and Discussion: The incidence rates decreased from 28.4 x 100 000 inhabitants in 1986 to 2.7 x 100 000 in 1996. The prevalence rate in 1986 was 8.5 x 1000 inhabitants 5-14 years and in 1996 it lowered to 2.0 x 1000. There was an improvement in the access to medical care and in some social -economics factors, which can explained, together with a better halt education to the population this good results.

Conclusions: The improvement in the access to medical care, better health education and better socio-economic development, can lower the incidence and prevalence of Rheumatic Fever in infant population.

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