JONES CRITERIA FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF RHEUMATIC FEVER

Major Criteria

     Carditis

     Polyarthritis

     Chorea

     Erythema Marginatum

     Subcutaneous Nodules

Minor Criteria

     Fever

     Arthralgia

     History of Rheumatic Fever or Rheumatic Heart Disease

Associated Criteria

     Evidence of Preceding Streptococcal Infection (Positive Streptococcal Antibody Titers or Positive Throat Culture)

     Recent Scarlet Fever

In order to establish the diagnosis of rheumatic fever, the presence of 2 major criteria, or 1 major and 2 minor criteria are diagnostic evidence that lends a high degree of certainty to the diagnosis if associated with evidence of streptococcal infection.