Tag: Rheumatic fever

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), strep throat is an infection caused by bacteria, not a virus. This critical distinction is key to answering the common question: does vitamin C help with strep throat? While vitamin C supports overall immunity, it is not an effective treatment for the bacterial cause of strep.

Rheumatic fever is a severe autoimmune reaction triggered by an untreated Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection, not a vitamin deficiency. However, recent observational studies have identified an association between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk or severity of acute rheumatic fever (ARF), suggesting that optimal nutrition, including sufficient vitamin D, supports a healthy immune response.