Caution Indicated in Extrapolating Carditis in Rats to Rheumatic Heart Disease in Humans

摘要

To the Editor—The article by Sikder et al [ ] demonstrated that repeated injections of killed group G streptococci (GGS) or its purified M protein induced an autoimmune carditis in a rat model. The authors concluded that acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in man “should no longer be described in the scientific literature as a disease solely triggered by group A streptococci”. We contend that this conclusion is a gross oversimplification of the data and cannot be established solely by their results from a Lewis rat model. A direct link between the animal model and human disease is speculative, but not as firmly established as the authors have concluded.