NONTRAUMATIC acute mononeuritis affecting a single peripheral nerve has been recognized to have multiple causes. Although mention has been made of the possible association of mononeuritis with bacterial endocarditis,1 no case reports were found in the literature. Because of this, we thought it of interest to report five cases of mononeuritis and subacute bacterial endocarditis. Since the onset was abrupt in all cases and no other cause of the neuropathy was evident, an embolic cause is postulated.
Report of Cases
CASE 1.—A 69-year-old man presented with the chief complaint of numbness and weakness of the fourth and fifth digits of the left hand of one week's duration. Five months earlier the patient had had a stroke manifested by diplopia and ataxia; since then he had had intermittent fever and myalgia but had been fully ambulatory. At the time of admission, examination demonstrated an apical systolic cardiac murmur