Noun. 1. chordate-any animal of the phylum Chordata having a notochord or spinal column. animal, animate being, beast, creature, fauna, brute-a living organism characterized by voluntary movement. Chordata, phylum Chordata-comprises true vertebrates and animals having a notochord.cephalochordate-fish-like animals having a notochord rather than a true spinal column. tunicate, urochord, urochordate-primitive marine animal having a saclike unsegmented body and a urochord that is conspicuous in the larva.hordata, phylum Chordata-comprises true vertebrates and animals having a notochord. cephalochordate-fish-like animals having a notochord rather than a true spinal column. tunicate, urochord, urochordate-primitive marine animal having a saclike unsegmented body and a urochord that is conspicuous in the larva.
In more than half of all cases, rheumatic fever may affect the heart valves (rheumatic carditis) and interfere with normal blood flow through the heart. Even without treatment, though, only about three people out of every 10 who have a strep throat infection develop rheumatic fever.
Autoimmune Diseases. Autoimmune diseases can affect almost any part of the body, including the heart, brain, nerves, muscles, skin, eyes, joints, lungs, kidneys, glands, the digestive tract, and blood vessels. The classic sign of an autoimmune disease is inflammation, which can cause redness, heat, pain, and swelling. How an autoimmune disease affects you depends on what part of the body is targeted. If the disease affects the joints, as in rheumatoid arthritis, you might have joint pain, stiffness, and loss of function.