What is Infective Endocarditis
It is an illness in which infection settles inside the heart or great blood vessels. It is most usually caused by bacteria, but fungi and other infective agents can more rarely be the cause. It can occur in people with normal hearts but is much more likely to occur in those with an abnormality of the heart. It is however even so a rare disease. How does the infection get to the heart? Infection gets to the heart when bacteria are carried there in the blood stream. Large numbers of bacteria may get into the blood stream in various ways. These include: • at dental extraction and some other operations • from infected eczema • from cuts, grazes, blisters or chicken pox spots that have become septic instead of healing up nicely • from inflammation and infection around earrings Ordinary cuts and grazes which heal quickly and cleanly are not a risk, nor is biting ones tongue or lip. Natural loss of milk teeth does not scatter bacteria into the blood and some superficial dental work is no caus
