International journal of cardiology
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Letter Case Reports
Austrian syndrome in a child-aortic valve endocarditis following pneumococcal meningitis.
A 7-year-old girl with a previously healthy heart underwent a Ross procedure after pneumococcal sepsis, meningitis and aortic valve endocarditis with extensive para-valvular involvement. While pneumococcal infections including respiratory tract infections, bacteraemia and meningitis are common in childhood, endocarditis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae occurs rarely. ⋯ We suggest that children with pneumococcal meningitis should be screened with echocardiography for an aortic valve endocarditis. In case of aortic valve endocarditis and persistent infection, surgery should be considered early.