Infective endocarditis after tooth extraction is probably due to ?

Ans. is 'a' i.e., Streptococcus viridans Viridans streptococci are normally resident in the mouth and upper respiratory tract. They cause transient bacteremia following tooth extraction or other dental procedures; and get implanted on damaged or prosthetic valves or in a congenitally diseased hea, and grow to form vegetations. They are ordinarily nonpathogenic but can on occasion cause disease. In persons with preexisting cardiac lesions, they may cause bacterial endocarditis, Str. sanguis being most often responsible. Str. mutans is impoant in causation of dental caries. The transient viridans streptococcal bacteremia induced by eating, tooth-brushing, flossing and other source of minor trauma, together with adherence to biological surfaces, is thought to account for the predilection of these organisms to cause endocarditis. Viridans streptococci are also isolated, often as a pa of a mixed flora, from sites of sinusitis, brain abscess and liver abscess. Viridans streptococcal bacteremia occurs relatively frequently in neutropenic patients, paicularly after bone marrow transplantation or high dose chemotherapy for cancer. Treatment of varidans streptococcal infections include :- Bacteremia in neutropenic patients - Vancomycin. Other infection - Penicillin.