Pericarditis - bacterial

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Bacterial pericarditis

Heart, front view

Heart, section through the middle

Pericardium

Bacterial pericarditis is irritation and swelling of the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart, due to infection by bacteria.

Purulent pericarditis

Bacterial infections are one cause of pericarditis. Since the advent of antibiotics, bacterial pericarditis has become relatively rare.

It most often occurs in men between the ages of 20 and 50, usually after some type of respiratory infection. It can also occur after skin or oral infections that produce bacteremia (bacterial infection of the blood) and after heart surgery.

The bacterial infection causes inflammation of the pericardium. Pain occurs as a result of the inflamed pericardium rubbing against the heart. Fluid may accumulate in the pericardial sac.

The most common organisms that cause this condition are staphylococci, streptococci, pneumococci, haemophilus influenza (also called H.flu), and meningococci.

Review Date: 07/17/2006
Reviewed By: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.