Catastrophic Perforation in Streptococcus Pneumoniae Aortitis: Complications of Infective Endocarditis in the Current Antimicrobial Era.

Infectious aortitis is an uncommon but life-threatening cause of aortitis. Given the lack of specific symptoms, establishing the diagnosis is often a challenge. When it is associated with an endovascular infection, such as infective endocarditis, blood cultures may be diagnostic although often limited by low positive predictive value.

Pericardial Effusion in Systemic Sarcoidosis: A Rare Manifestation of Cardiac Sarcoid.

We present a 65-year-old African American woman who was found to have pericardial effusion secondary to cardiac sarcoid. Pericardial effusion is a rare manifestation of cardiac sarcoid. All cases of sustemic sarcoid should be evaluated for cardiac involvement which can be difficult to detect.