Attempts to Reproduce Rheumatic Fever in Animals

Abstract

* We feel that the terms "Acute rheumatic fever, Acute articular rheumatism, Rheumatic pancarditis," etc., are each in themselves too limited to cover descriptively all the possible manifestations of this disease. It would seem that the term "Rheumatic D~sease" would be preferable inasmuch as this condition undoubtedly exists ducing afebrile periods. 41 on

Requirements for a Robust Animal Model to Investigate the Disease Mechanism of Autoimmune Complications Associated With ARF/RHD

“…A study by Gross et al as early as in 1929 examined the development of rheumatic myocarditis induced by live and killed streptococci isolated from patients with ARF/RHD in seven different animals including rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, cats, swine, sheep, and calves. These studies failed to induce myocarditis in any of these animals ( 23 ). However, some rabbits showed accumulation of lymphocytes and mononuclear cells in their myocardium, low-grade pericarditis with mononuclear cells, acute focal interstitial myocarditis and large, irregular, thrombotic mass on the posterior cusp of the mitral valve.…”

“…The early experiments on rheumatic myocarditis were carried out in rabbits based on the hypothesis that ARF/RHD was caused either by direct streptococcal infection or by direct damage to heart tissues by streptococcal toxins. However, none of the rabbits showed similar pathology to rheumatic myocarditis in these studies (23). A study by Gross et al as early as in 1929 examined the development of rheumatic myocarditis induced by live and killed streptococci isolated from patients with ARF/RHD in seven different animals including rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, cats, swine, sheep, and calves.…”

“…However, animals are the only experimental models used to investigate the characteristic signs, pathogenesis and pathophysiology specific to ARF/RHD. Animals including guinea pigs, rabbits, pigs, sheep, goats, cattle, cats, dogs, and non-human primates have been used as experimental model to understand the disease mechanism of ARF/RHD and to investigate the rheumatogenic potential of GAS M proteins (23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36). In the last two decades these animals were replaced by mice and rats due to lower costs, ease of handling and observation of pathological, immunological and functional changes comparable to ARF/RHD patients (Table 1).…”

A Virus in Rheumatism

“…The Aschoff node and non-bacterial verrucous endocarditis and pericarditis are confined to acute rheumatism in the human subject. Gross, Loewe and Eliasoph (1929) adopted these as the criterion of the experimental disease for their work. It may be necessary to modify this attitude, for experience may show that these conditions cannot be reproduced in any animal other than man.…”

Experimental Carditis. Changes in the Myocardium and Pericardium of Rabbits Sensitized to Streptococci

“…The results of these researches are summarized thoroughly in the comprehensive reviews of Thomson and Thomson (9) and of Gross, Loewe and Eliasoph (1). Although certain abnormalities of the heart have been produced, chiefly by streptococci, these lesions have not resembled those of human rheumatic fever enough to attract wide attention.…”