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What is the most common cause of acute endocarditis?
Staph aureus
Strep viridans
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Staph epidermidis
The correct answer is: Staph aureus
In this case, the correct answer is Staph aureus because it is the most common cause of acute endocarditis. Staph aureus is a gram-positive bacterium that can cause aggressive and rapidly progressing infective endocarditis, especially in patients with pre-existing valvular abnormalities or prosthetic heart valves. Staphylococcus aureus has a strong likelihood of causing severe and acute endocarditis due to its ability to adhere to damaged endothelial surfaces and form vegetation on heart valves. Other options like Strep viridans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staph epidermidis are less commonly associated with acute endocarditis compared to Staph aureus.