How long will it take strep to damage heart valves?
Patient: my father has been going down hill health wise for the last 6 mths maybe even the last year . we took him to the hospital this last time and with in 24 hours they said he had a streap in his bloodstream and it has caused heart valve damage . what I want to know is this an infection that he had for a while or is this something that can happen in 24 hours . I just think it would take time for this to happen to the heart and being that he has be declining for a time now could he have before we took him to the hospital? Doctor: Hello Welcome to HCM. Blood is usually sterile I.e. devoid of any bacteria or viruses. Bacteria or viruses can appear in blood after a throat infection, urine infection or lung infection. Once the bacteria enter the blood they can infect other organs including the heart. The bacteria settle on the valves of the heart and cause infection and destruction of the valves. This happens over time and cannot happen in 24 hrs. But he must have had symptoms like fever, breathlessness, shivering etc. You have not mentioned any of the symptoms. here. The treatment of infective endocarditis is long term treatment with antibiotics and some residual damage of valve always remains. Wishing him good health Regards