Mr. Ramu, a 49 yr old gentleman, undergoes a root canal procedure. Few days later he develops fever, weight loss, and anorexia. He is diagnosed with mitral valve prolapsed with mitral regurgitation. The most common organism implicated in causation of this condition is:

Viridans streptococci. (Braunwald, 15/e, pp 809-814, 882-885, 959, 1009, 1620.) The 30-year-old-female with mitral valve prolapse has developed subacute bacterial endocarditis. The likely etiologic agent is a viridans streptococci. Viridans streptococci cause most cases of subacute bacterial endocarditis. No other agent listed is likely to cause this infection.