Details about Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease
Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease PDF free download – This book arose when the lead editor arrived to work in the Republic of Palau, an island nation situated in the tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean, and realised there was no definitive modern text that covered the field of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. Determined to address this need, he procured a publisher and sought worldwide authorship. Most of the knowledge base pertaining to acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease originally came from the United States and United Kingdom in the 1930se1950s. For nearly 50 years, there was little new research as affluent countries with improved living conditions meant few new cases were occurring. In these countries, rheumatic fever was destined to be confined to the history books. However, the disease was just not being addressed, let alone counted, in low- and middle-income countries where it continued to present a major public health crisis. Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease affect the most disadvantaged people of the poorest regions and countries throughout the world. Fortunately, in the past 3 decades, new initiatives and research have come from countries where acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease remain endemic, which in reality is most countries of the world. Despite this, there remain fewer researchers in proportion to disease burden when compared with nearly all other medical conditions. We are all fortunate that the leading authorities and researchers we contacted to write chapters for this book accepted the challenge. They are all in demand with busy productive lives and we are very grateful and thank them for their considerable efforts and commitment to the task, as we are to their ongoing commitment to control, manage, and prevent ongoing cases across the world. Their outstanding research and clinical expertise is evident in the chapters we present.