A previously healthy 8-year-old Native American female presented with right-sided weakness and joint pain for two weeks. Following an initially unremarkable workup including negative brain and spine MRI she was noticed to have chorea and subsequently diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever (ARF). ARF is a group A streptococcus-related disease that most commonly is a sequelae of pharyngitis. The diagnosis of ARF utilizes the Jones criteria which includes heart disease, arthritis, chorea, the characteristic rash of erythema marginatum, and subcutaneous nodules. The most serious consequences of ARF include rheumatic heart disease and chorea. ARF can be treated with a combination of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories like aspirin.
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