Pseudomonas Endocarditis

Abstract

Brill and Libmann in 1899 were among the first to call attention to blood stream invasion by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In 1904 Eastman and Keene reported a case of Bacillus pyocyaneus (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) septecemia associated with blastomycosis .. Most of recent reports of sepsis due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa have concerned cases of bacterial endocarditis. In 1933 Fish, Hand and Keirn' summarized four cases of Pseudomonas endocarditis in the literature. Morgues and Anderson? also noted this tendency for Pseudomonas endocarditis in the literature and added one of their own. They also noted the tendency for Pseudomonas to cause blood lesions.Bacteremia due to Pseudomnas aeruginosa was a rarity until the era of modem antibiotics. In recent years many cases of bacteremia due to this microorganism have been reported.A review done by Carruthers and Kanokeechayan" included the 30 reported cases of pseudomonas endocarditis which did not follow cardiac surgery. The presumed source of Pseudomonal bacteremia varied. By far the most frequent association occurred as with self administered intravenous injections taken by narcotic addicts.