The Jones criteria are used to diagnose which condition after a recent streptococcal infection?

• A. Kawasaki disease
• B. Infective endocarditis
• C. Pericarditis
• D. Rheumatic fever

Answer: (D)

The Jones criteria are the diagnostic standards for acute rheumatic fever after a streptococcal (group A) infection. They separate findings into major and minor groups and require evidence of a recent GAS infection.

Major features include migratory polyarthritis, carditis, subcutaneous nodules, erythema marginatum, and Sydenham chorea. Minor features comprise fever, arthralgia, elevated inflammatory markers (like ESR/CRP), and a prolonged PR interval on ECG. For diagnosis, you typically need either two major criteria or one major plus two minor criteria, plus objective evidence of preceding GAS infection (positive throat culture or rapid strep test, or elevated ASO/anti-DNase B titers).

This framework is specific to rheumatic fever after strep throat, which is why it’s the correct choice here. The other conditions have different diagnostic criteria: Kawasaki disease has its own mucocutaneous findings and criteria; infective endocarditis uses Duke criteria; pericarditis is diagnosed by chest pain characteristics and ECG/imaging findings, not Jones criteria.