Bacterial Endocarditis

Abstract

Surgery, dental work, burns, urinary tract instrumentation, trauma and heart catheters pose the threat of bacterial endocarditis to patients with rheumatic heart disease or congenital heart disease. Because experience indicates that either streptococci or staphylococci are responsible for most cases of endocarditis, susceptible patients may be protected if a combination of antibiotics effective against these organisms is given before operative procedures.