A 17-year-old of Nigerian girl with Sydenham chorea: A case report and review of literature

Abstract

This is a 17-year-old Nigerian girl who had a history of a sore throat for 8 weeks and persistent fever, associated with central chest pain, abnormal fidgety movement of the body and fleeting joint pain. The diagnosis of Sydenham chorea was made due to the additional finding of positive anti-streptolysin O titer. Sydenham chorea is a neuropsychiatric disorder that is characterized by abnormal body movement, associated with mood and behavioral changes. It is an autoimmune disease that occurs following an infection with M serotype of Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection that is prevalent in our environment. However, Sydenham chorea which is one of its manifestations is still rare in our environment, hence the need for literature review.