By echocardiographic screening, we found a high prevalence of rheumatic heart disease in the surveyed population. Clinical auscultation had much lower diagnostic efficacy.

Highlight of the study is the greater reversibility of earlier lesions as compared to the later stages of RHD. Spontaneous regression of isolated mitral valve thickening in two-thirds of the cases even without antibiotic prophylaxis, undermines the value of morphological criteria for the diagnosis of RHD.

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