Endocarditis associated with porcine valve xenografts

Review of porcine valve xenografts in 68 patients over a 32-month period disclosed seven episodes of endocarditis in six patients, an attack rate of 10%. Four patients died as a result of the infections. The presence of Staphylococcus epidermidis in every case was most striking as was the preponderance of methicillin sodium resistance. The clustering of cases within a restricted time period, and the absence of subsequent cases, suggests the strong possibility of a nosocomial occurrence.