STREPTOCOCCUS VIRIDANS BACTEREMIA FOLLOWING EXTRACTION OF TEETH

Abstract

Streptococcus viridans is constantly present in alveolar infection and frequently enters the blood stream when these infected areas are traumatized. Other organisms are less regularly present and Streptococcus viridans enters the blood stream from this focus much more frequently than all others combined. The resulting bacteremia is usually transient, but a knowledge of the frequency and mechanism of its occurrence is essential to an understanding of the pathogenesis of the secondary foci of localization—notably subacute bacterial endocarditis. It is our purpose in this paper to reveal our experience as to the frequency of bacteremia following tooth extraction and to portray the consequences incident thereto through the report of (1) well studied clinical cases with postmortem examinations and (2) bacteriologic examination of the teeth and blood of persons undergoing tooth extraction. <h3>REPORT OF CASES</h3><h3>Case 1.—History.—</h3> A white man aged 44, a patient of Dr. Arthur Pearman, had always