Preliminaries -- Contents -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Epidemiology of group A streptococci rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease -- 3 Pathogenesis of rheumatic fever -- 4 Diagnosis of rheumatic fever -- 5 Diagnosis of rheumatic fever and assessment of valvular disease using echocardiography -- 6 The role of the microbiology laboratory in the diagnosis of streptococcal infections and rheumatic fever -- 7 Chronic rheumatic heart disease -- 8 Medical management of rheumatic fever -- 9 Surgery for rheumatic heart disease -- 10 Primary prevention of rheumatic fever -- 11 Secondary prevention of rheumatic fever -- 12 Infective endocarditis -- 13 Prospects for a streptococcal vaccine -- 14 The socioeconomic burden of rheumatic fever -- 15 Planning and implementation of national programmes for the prevention and control of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease -- 16 Conclusions and recommendations.