Etiology of infective endocarditis

Blood cultures were taken from suspected cases of infective endocarditis admitted in Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and NICVD, Karachi. A total of 71 cultures were collected from these patients. Eighteen patients gave positive results. On these 18 patients 53 blood cultures were done. No gram negative organism was isolated in this study. Of the 18 patients with positive results 13 patients were infected by gamma hemolytic Streptococcus viridans, staphylococci were isolated in 4 patients and Streptococcus faecalis in one patient

Etiology of endocarditis in the West: Africa and Pakistan - a comparison

The predominant causative agent causing bacterial endocarditis was studied and the results obtained from specimens at different hospitals in Karachi were compared to the published literature in the Western and African countries, and the differences in results are discussed

Dental manipulations as the predisposing factor of bacterial endocarditis

Blood for culturing was taken from suspected cases of infective endocarditis. 26 such patients were studied as regards the predisposing factors. 3 blood cultures were taken from each patient. Out of these 26 patients 4 gave history of dental manipulation, as the causative predisposing factor which gives a percentage of 15. 38%. These four patients were all seen to be infected by streptococcus viridans