Discussions By Condition: Medical Errors
conjunctivitis leading to carditis?
- Posted By: borg56
- June 9, 2008
- 01:24 PM
14 year old son had conjunctivitis. Was seen by our pediatrician four times over a three-week period before being referred to an ophthalmologist. Ophthalmologist made diagnosis of "epidemic kerato-conjunctivitis - adenovirus". Did not culture eye. Did not prescribe oral or topical antibiotic.
Conjunctivitis did not resolve and three weeks later son was admitted to hospital with severe chest pain. He had pan (peri/myo/end) carditis with a 3+ murmur and mitral valve regurgitation. Was in hospital for one week and home for 3 months. Hospital discharge diagnosis was acute rheumatic heart disease and he has permanent heart damage.
I believe if ophthalmologist had cultured eye he would have found it to be a bacterial infection, strep, and would have initiated antibiotic therapy.
Am I correct?
