[Neonatal infectious endocarditis. Apropos of 5 cases].

Five cases of neonatal infective endocarditis are reported. The mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary valves were involved either alone or in association. The predisposing factors were multiple: umbilical catheter, respiratory distress with assisted ventilation, septicemia, osteoarthritis or gastroenteritis. Only one child had a minor cardiac malformation. The causal organism was a staphylococcus aureus in all cases. All children had disseminated intravascular coagulation and a cardiac murmur. The diagnosis was confirmed by echocardiographic demonstration of bacterial vegetations. Three of the 5 children died despite long-term antibiotic therapy. In one case, a vegetation embolised to the pulmonary artery. In the two cured neonates the vegetations disappeared. These cases illustrate the value of echocardiography which should be performed in all neonates with septicemia or disseminated intravascular coagulation, especially when there is an associated cardiac murmur.