ARF is clinically diagnosed by using the Jones criteria. The J | Paediatrics videos & books

ARF is clinically diagnosed by using the Jones criteria. The Jones criteria are separated into major and minor findings. The major criteria are arthritis (not simply arthralgia), carditis, Sydenham chorea, erythema marginatum, and subcutaneous nodules. The minor criteria include the presence of a fever, arthralgias, documentation of a GAS infection (either currently or in the past), or laboratory evidence of inflammation (increased ESR). Two major criteria, or one major and two minors, are required for the diagnosis of ARF. The only exception to this rule is that the presence of Sydenham chorea alone will make the diagnosis. While the documentation of a prior, or current, GAS infection is compelling, it is not a requirement for the diagnosis of ARF. Children with rheumatic fever are not considered contagious.