Question

1. Please respond to the following questions regarding infections in the heart:
   1. What is pericarditis?
   2. If the inflammatory response to the microbe is purulent, what type of microbe is likely involved?
   3. If the inflammatory response to the microbe is fibrinous, what type of microbe is likely involved?
   4. How do infectious microbes typically get to the endocardium?

Answer 1

Solution:

A) Pericardium is a double layered tough elastic sac that covers heart and roots of the great vessels. They have main function to protect the heart. The swelling and irritation to this sac can be considered as pericarditis. In many instances this inflammatory swelling is an outcome of microbial infections. Generally viral infections cause pericarditis. Also some pathogenic bacterial infections also culminate in pericarditis. The most common symtom is the development of chest pain due to to the rubbing of pericardial layers against the heart due to inflamation. Main course of treatment includes the anti-inflammatory drugs, mainly NSAIDS.

B) Body develops purulent inflammatory response against pyogenic bacteria like gram positive staphylococci. This inflammation results in the formation of large amount of pus. E.coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella etc also causes this infection.

C) Fibrinous inflammatiin is characterized by the deposition of fibrin due to increased vascular permeability. In this infection due to fibrin deposits the tissue texture tourns rough, granular with several fibrous adhesions. This may be acute or chronic. Genus of staphylococcci, e.coli and genus Klebsiella are involved in this infections.

D) The entry of the organisms is mainly through mouth and nose. They spreads through the bloodstream and reaches the heart. The endocarditis is developed slowly infecting the heart valves to life threatening levels. Common symptoms include, Fatigue, Heart murmur, Joint and Muscle pain, Fever and chills etc. If this remains untreated the tge infectious agents may eventually damages the heart valves and may leads to myocardial infarction.