title: Particularities in diagnosis and treatment for infectious endocarditis in children.
abstract: Infectious endocarditis (IE) represents a rare pathology in children, but with lethal potential. The goal of the therapy is fast and total eradication of the infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study particularities in diagnosis and treatment for infectious endocarditis in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children with infectious endocarditis hospitalized between January 2007 - February 2012 in the Cardiology Department of the ,,Sfânta Maria" Children Emergency Hospital of lasi have been included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients are aged between 23 days and 16 years, the average age being 4 years old. At approximately 88% of the patients (14 cases), the endocardial damage appeared in the pre-existent valvular lesions, specially mitral and aortal. As associated congenital malformations, the patients prevailingly presented ventricular septal defect, mitral valve prolapse, arterial canal persistence, aortic stenosis, coarctation of the aorta. Blood cultures were collected and the most frequent identified etiological agents were: Staphylococcus coagulase-positive, Streptococcus mitis, Staphylococcus speciae coagulase-negative, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Streptococcus bovis, Escherichia coli, for which the antibiogram showed sensitivity for beta-lactam, cephalosporins, glycopeptides, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, rifampicin, quinolone, lincosamides, oxazolidinones, and thus specific treatment was set up according to the antibiogram.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The infectious endocarditis is a serious disease that affects young age too, leading towards exitus in some cases. Diagnostic imaging and early blood cultures are of relevance in order to intervene promptly. The treatment must be targeted and applied as fast as possible.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T Popa Iasi, Faculty of Medicine.
authors.forename: Alina Costina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Luca
authors.forename: Isabela Ioana
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Begezsan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iordache
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D034363:Viridans Streptococci / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents