Production of endocarditis with Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mitis in dogs with aortic insufficiency.

Following the induction of aortic insufficiency, 15 dogs received intravenous injections of either Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus mitis. The clinical course and pathologic picture resembled those of acute and subacute bacterial endocarditis respectively. The valvular lesions were confined largely to contacting surfaces of aortic and mitral leaflets. The dogs given S. mitis often developed an acute diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis. No such valvular or renal lesions were noted in 10 control dogs, including 2 with sham operations, given similar bacterial injections.