Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 1991 Sep; 111(22): 2741-2.

[Bacterial endocarditis after treatment by a natural healer]

Scheel O, Sundsfjord A, Lunde P.

Mikrobiologisk avdeling, Regionsykehuset i TromsÃ¸.

We describe a case of endocarditis caused by Propionibacterium acnes after a series of 'vitamin' injections and semipermanent acupuncture needle maneuvers by a natural healer. The patient had prosthetic heart valves. We found that the most probable source of infection was the treatment by the natural healer and therefore wish to warn against invasive treatment of such high-risk patients by laymen. If such treatment is insisted upon in spite of such warnings, antibiotic prophylaxis should be considered.