[Acute bacterial endocarditis]

Acute endocarditides, defined by the intensity of the infectious syndrome, increase rapidly in incidence, both in absolute number and in relation with classical subacute endocarditides. 60 cases were studied out of a lot of 130 cases of bacterial endocarditides. They are characterized by the nature of the portals of entry, particularly in hospital, the nature of the causal germs (staphylococci and gram-negative germs essentially), their habitually primary character, the importance of embolic manifestations. Cardiac failure through valvular mutilation is common, but surgical valve replacement is not always possible in view of the visceral or infectious context. Their overall prognosis is a very bad one: lethality 67 percent as against 15 percent for subacute endocarditides. An important part of prevention lies in a better hospital hygiene.