Two weeks ago we reported that Jimmy Barnes had been hospitalised with bacterial pneumonia – and we explained the condition and its severity.

This week, Barnes revealed that he was undergoing open-heart surgery because the infection had spread to his heart.

All we know, from a statement, is: “It’s infected an otherwise healthy valve that was replaced some years ago due to a congenital defect, so I’ll be getting open-heart surgery over the next few hours”.

He said the surgery would take him “out of action” for a while.

Late on Wednesday, his ever-supportive wife Jane shared a positive update when Barnes pulled through the operation.

“I’m happy to let you know that our Jimmy has made it through his surgery and is now recovering in the ICU,” she wrote on Facebook.

“We are so grateful for the incredible medical team looking after him. Thank you for all the love and support. I will keep you all posted.”

Here’s what we know about the condition

Bacterial pneumonia is far more dangerous to the heart than viral pneumonia.

Barnes had the most common form of bacterial pneumonia, and one of the most severe – pneumococcal pneumonia.

Up to one-third of patients hospitalised with pneumococcal pneumonia experience major adverse cardiac events during or after pneumonia.

It appears that Barnes may have a very rare condition called infective endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the inner layer of the heart or the heart valves.

In the case of Barnes, it’s a valve that’s infected – one he received in 2007, in order to replace a congenitally faulty valve.

Heart valves help manage the rate of blood flow into and out of the heart.

With endocarditis, according to Medical News Today, “clumps of bacteria and cells, called ‘vegetation’, form on the heart valves”.

These clumps make it harder for the heart to work properly.

And they can cause abscesses on the valves and the heart muscle, damage tissue, and lead to abnormalities in electrical conduction.

There’s an increased risk for bacterial endocarditis if you have certain heart valve defects.

More about bacterial endocarditis

The Mayo Clinic describes endocarditis as a life-threatening inflammation of the inner lining of the heart’s chambers and valves. This lining is called the endocardium.

“Without quick treatment, endocarditis can damage or destroy the heart valves,” the clinic said.

According to a 2016 clinical case report, severe pneumococcal pneumonia causes acute cardiac toxicity. This is rare.

As the authors write: “Pneumococcal endocarditis (PE) has become uncommon since the advent of penicillin; it now develops in less than one per cent of native heart valves.

“However, an increase in the number of prosthetic heart valves as a predisposing factor for PE has recently been observed, accounting for 22 to 31 per cent of all cases of valve endocarditis.”

Infective endocarditis isn’t confined to people with bacterial pneumonia. It’s also linked to poor dental hygiene. So brush and floss twice a day as if your life depended on it.

People at high risk

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the highest risk group for bacterial endocarditis includes those with:

• An artificial (prosthetic) heart valve
• Artificial material from a cardiac valve repair
• Previous bacterial endocarditis
• Unrepaired cyanotic congenital heart disease
• Repaired congenital heart disease with shunts or regurgitation at the site or next to the site of an artificial patch or device
• Heart valve disease (regurgitation) that develops after a heart transplant.