Attack Rates of Streptococcal Pharyngitis, Rheumatic Fever and Glomerulonephritis in the General Population

SINCE the attack rate of rheumatic fever and of acute hemorrhagic glomerulonephritis after untreated infection due to Group A streptococci has been estimated at between 1.5 and 5 per cent1 2 3 4 5 penicillin treatment has been widely recommended for the control of these late nonsuppurative sequelae. The attack rate of glomerulonephritis is even higher when related to Type 12 infections.6 The attack rate of both diseases has been determined primarily from epidemic studies conducted in more or less closed communities living under epidemiologic conditions not prevalent in the general population.Several recent reports7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 have suggested that rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis occur less . . .