GROUP-B STREPTOCOCCAL TRICUSPID-VALVE ENDOCARDITIS - A CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Group B streptococcal endocarditis involving the tricuspid valve is an uncommon disease. We describe herein a young healthy woman who develo ped this disease following an elective abortion. She was treated with penicillin and gentamycin with no response. The patient was operated u rgently and recovered. Few reports have described the disease in the l ast 25 years (our case is the thirteenth). Five of them were IV drug a busers, four patients suffered from debilitating diseases and in five women endocarditis developed following an obstetric procedure. In gene ral the mortality from tricuspid valve endocarditis is low, indeed 2/1 3 (15%) died. The drug of choice is penicillin with gentamycin. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.