Group B streptococcal endocarditis in a neonate

This is a case of bacterial endocarditis and dissecting aneurysm of the ascending aorta secondary to group B streptococcal (GBS) septicemia in a one-mouth-old infant girl who presented with meningitis. A large aortic vegetation and a large dissecting aneurysm of the root of the aorta were detected by two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography. Apparently the infant did not have any preexisting cardiac anomaly. She received intravenous ampicillin for six weeks. She also underwent successful surgery for the replacement of the ascending aorta with an aortic homograft. This occurrence reemphasizes the value of 2D echocardiography in detecting vegetations for endocarditis.