CASE HISTORY
Elizabeth was 58 years old and had a history of mitral valve prolapse (a common congenital condition in which a heart valve does not close properly).She was on immunosuppressive therapy following a kidney transplant.She had recently been admitted to the hospital complaining of fatigue,intermittent fevers for five weeks,and headaches for three weeks-symptoms the physician recognized as possible indications of endocarditis.Elizabeth reported having a dental procedure a few weeks prior to the onset of symptoms but forgot to take antibiotics beforehand.A sample of her blood placed in a liquid bacteriological medium grew Gram-positive cocci,which turned out to be Streptococcus mutans,a bacterial species associated with dental caries.With the finding of bacteria in the bloodstream,the diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis was confirmed.Elizabeth began a one-month course of intravenous penicillin G and gentamicin therapy and eventually recovered to normal health.
Elizabeth presented with symptoms of subacute bacterial endocarditis.How would the presentation differ for the acute form of the disease? What other differences distinguish the two?

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The Answer of CASE HISTORY
Elizabeth was 58 years old and had a history of mitral valve prolapse (a common congenital condition in which a heart valve does not close properly).She was on immunosuppressive therapy following a kidney transplant.She had recently been admitted to the hospital complaining of fatigue,intermittent fevers for five weeks,and headaches for three weeks-symptoms the physician recognized as possible indications of endocarditis.Elizabeth reported having a dental procedure a few weeks prior to the onset of symptoms but forgot to take antibiotics beforehand.A sample of her blood placed in a liquid bacteriological medium grew Gram-positive cocci,which turned out to be Streptococcus mutans,a bacterial species associated with dental caries.With the finding of bacteria in the bloodstream,the diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis was confirmed.Elizabeth began a one-month course of intravenous penicillin G and gentamicin therapy and eventually recovered to normal health.
Elizabeth presented with symptoms of subacute bacterial endocarditis.How would the presentation differ for the acute form of the disease? What other differences distinguish the two?

CASE HISTORY Elizabeth Was 58 Years Old and Had a History of History