[Acute rheumatism and glomerulonephritis; current clinical incidence and mortality in The Netherlands]

The marked decline of morbidity and mortality of both rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis reported in 1977 proves to have continued after 1975. After 1976, not a single death from rheumatic fever has been reported in The Netherlands, and in 1985-1987 only three deaths from acute glomerulonephritis were recorded. Nearly all European countries apart from the USSR, as well as Australia, Japan and New Zealand and North America report the same favourable trend, at any rate for rheumatic fever. Its possible causes are discussed. Some regional epidemiological rises in the US so far are no reason for alarm, although they do make it clear that it would be premature to speak of dying-out diseases.