Acupuncture needles as a cause of bacterial endocarditis

Abstract

The incidence of infective endocarditis has remained unchanged during the past 40 years. There are several reasons for this. Many patients at risk of infective endocarditis are unaware that they have a cardiac lesion, and others have poor dental health despite knowing of their susceptibility to infective endocarditis. Medical and dental practitioners could do more to extend dental prophylaxis. Physicians should also be aware, however, of possible new ways of inducing endocarditis in at risk patients, so that appropriate advice and prophylaxis may be given. We report the development of bacterial endocarditis after the insertion and manipulation of acupuncture needles.