Subacute bacterial endocarditis treated by intravenously given erythromycin; report of a case.

Abstract

The present communication reports the apparent cure with intravenously given erythromycin of an antibioticresistant, nonhemolytic, streptococcic, bacterial endocarditis. A 38-year-old woman was referred to our hospital on Jan. 18, 1954, with the diagnosis of an antibiotic-resistant staphylococcic endocarditis. The patient reported that she was a blue baby at birth and that she had always had a soft asymptomatic heart murmur. On Sept. 15, 1953, the patient underwent an uncomplicated dilation and curettage for menometrorrhagia of two months' duration. Because of the history of possible congenital heart disease, she was given prophylactic doses of penicillin, 1,000,000 units a day, for the six days of her hospitalization. On Oct. 15, the patient was readmitted to the same hospital with pain in her legs and a fever spiking to 104 F (40 C). A tentative diagnosis of pelvic thrombophlebitis was entertained, but pelvic examination was negative and positive blood cultures soon established the