Final answer:
Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a nonsuppurative complication of streptococcal infection that can occur following untreated or inadequately treated strep throat, which is not prevented by antibiotics. It may lead to rheumatic heart disease, which affects the heart valves.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nonsuppurative complication of streptococcal infection that is not altered by treatment of the primary infection is acute rheumatic fever (ARF). Acute rheumatic fever is a post-infectious sequelae that can manifest 2-3 weeks after an episode of streptococcal pharyngitis, commonly known as strep throat, particularly when the infection has been untreated or inadequately treated with antibiotics. ARF can lead to serious health problems, including rheumatic heart disease, which can cause lasting damage to the heart valves.
The symptoms of strep throat can include fever, intense throat pain, swollen and red tonsils with patches of pus, and petechiae on the soft or hard palate. While antibiotics like penicillin are effective in treating streptococcal pharyngitis, they do not prevent the development of ARF if the initial infection has been inadequately addressed. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of strep throat are crucial to prevent these serious complications.