Treatment of Bacterial Endocarditis in Patients with Penicillin Hypersensitivity

Article1 August 1967Treatment of Bacterial Endocarditis in Patients with Penicillin HypersensitivityGEORGE R. GREEN, M.D., GUSTAVUS A. PETERS, M.D., F.A.C.P., JOSEPH E. GERACI, M.D., F.A.C.P.GEORGE R. GREEN, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, GUSTAVUS A. PETERS, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this author, JOSEPH E. GERACI, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-67-2-235 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptA major problem in present-day management of bacterial endocarditis is the choice of optimal antibiotic therapy in patients who give a history of allergy to penicillin. Bacterial endocarditis was invariably fatal before the discovery of penicillin. Even today the mortality remains around 20 to 30%. Penicillin alone, or as part of combined therapy, remains the preferred treatment in most instances since it is bactericidal and experience has proved it to be effective (1). This is especially true for enterococcal endocarditis, in which administration of penicillin G and streptomycin as combined therapy has been necessary in most instances (2).Other authors...References1. GERACI JE: The antibiotic therapy of bacterial endocarditis: therapeutic data on 172 patients seen from 1951 through 1957: additional observations on short-term therapy (two weeks) for penicillin-sensitive streptococcal endocarditis. Med. Clin. N. Amer. 42: 1101, 1958. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. GERACIMARTIN JEWJ: Antibiotic therapy of bacterial endocarditis. VI. Subacute enterococcal endocarditis: clinical, pathologic and therapeutic consideration of 33 cases. Circulation 10: 173, 1954. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. GLASERRIFKIND RJD: The diagnosis and treatment of bacterial endocarditis. Med. Clin. N. 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Annual review of significant publications.Clinical and Epidemiologic Impact of Penicillins Old and New 1 August 1967Volume 67, Issue 2Page: 235-249KeywordsAllergy and immunologyEndocarditisHypersensitivityMortalityPenicillinStreptomycin ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 August 1967 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright ©, 1967, by The American College of PhysiciansPDF downloadLoading ...