Editorial: Observations on the diagnosis of isolated rheumatic carditis

There are many similarities between the clinical features of viral heart disease and of rheumatic carditis, as defined in the revised Jones criteria for the diagnosis of rheumatic fever. Because of this, it is likely that viral heart disease has been, and still is, diagnosed as rheumatic. This situation can be avoided if isolated rheumatic carditis is diagnosed only when a viral etiology has been definitely excluded, and when there is unequivocal evidence of recent infection with an appropriate strain of streptococcus.