Cardiovascular Pathology for Medical II Students

Lab 2a Rheumatic Heart Disease

Slides 2-3 & 33010-40900 | 33010-40900

2-3 Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus
This is the characteristic appearance of blood agar plate culture of this organism. Note the translucency around the bacterial colonies, representing hemolysis of the red cells in the culture medium. Infection (usually pharyngitis) due to this organism is followed by the development of acute rheumatic fever in a small proportion of patients. Patients with acute rheumatic fever have negative blood cultures, but have elevated titers of antibodies to streptococcal antigens. Cross-reaction of these antibodies with normal tissue components in the heart, joints and soft tissues may account for the features of acute rheumatic fever.		 streptococcus

Low Power (33010-40900)
This low power view of a section of heart shows myocardium and two cross-sections of intramural vessels surrounded by inflamed, edematous interstitial connective tissue. Adjacent to the vessels you will note aggregates of cells that have eosinophilic cytoplasm. These aggregates are Aschoff bodies, the histologic hallmark of myocardial involvement in acute rheumatic fever.

 rheumatic heart

Digital Legends for Labs/Cases
Lab 1
1.a | 1.b | 1.c | 1.d | 1.e | 1.f | 1.g
Lab 2
2.a | 2.b | 2.c | 2.d | 2.e | 2.f | 2.g | 2.h | 2.i
Lab 3
3.a | 3.b | 3.c | 3.d | 3.e | 3.f | 3.g | 3.h

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Updated August 23, 2007