Trends in acute rheumatic fever. The Barbados experience

A retrospective review of yearly admissions of acute rheumatic fever between 1971 and 1990 showed a declining trend with relative stability since 1986. The incidence rate of acute rheumatic fever (new attacks/year) was 2/100,000 total population or 7/100,000 childhood population (< 19 years old) or 9/100,000 schoolchildren. The incidence rate per 10,000 hospital admissions was a high of 20 in 1971 and remained a low of three since 1986. This low incidence of acute rheumatic fever should not give rise to complacency in its control, as there is an unexplained resurgence in the developed countries.