Related Experiment Videos
[Endocarditis due to HACEK bacteria. A case report of endocarditis due to Kingella kingae]
M Lepori1, P Y Bochud, R Owlya
1Division de soins intensifs de médecine, Service B, Département de médecine, CHUV, rue du Bugnon, 1011 Lausanne.
Insights
Diagnosing endocarditis can be challenging, especially with rare bacteria like Kingella kingae from the HACEK group. This study highlights the difficulties in identifying these slow-growing organisms for effective treatment.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Endocarditis requires accurate microbial identification for prognosis and treatment.
- Standard culture methods can struggle to detect certain causative agents, complicating diagnosis.
Observation:
- A case of native aortic valve endocarditis caused by Kingella kingae, a HACEK group organism, is presented.
- Six additional HACEK group-related endocarditis cases treated between 1983-1999 are reviewed.
- HACEK group organisms account for less than 5% of endocarditis cases, often leading to delayed diagnosis due to slow growth.
Findings:
- Kingella kingae can cause native aortic valve endocarditis.
- The clinical and microbiological features of HACEK group endocarditis are described.
- Slow growth of HACEK organisms on culture media presents diagnostic challenges.
Implications:
- Improved diagnostic strategies are needed for HACEK group endocarditis.
- Early identification of Kingella kingae and other HACEK pathogens is crucial for timely intervention.
- Understanding the characteristics of HACEK endocarditis can guide clinical management and antibiotic selection.
Abstract:
Endocarditis is a common disease in hospital practice. Identification of the microorganism responsible for the valvular damage is essential to establish the prognosis and to determine the optimal antibiotic treatment. In some cases of endocarditis the diagnosis is laborious, especially when the responsible microorganism is difficult to detect using standard culture techniques. Here we report a case of native aortic valve endocarditis due to Kingella kingae, a Gram negative organism of the HACEK group. In addition we review 6 other cases of endocarditis caused by organism belonging to this group, treated in our hospital between 1983 and 1999. Epidemiological studies show that less than 5% of all cases of endocarditis are caused by organisms of the HACEK group. The diagnosis is often delayed because their slow growth on a standard culture medium. We describe clinical and microbiological characteristics of this group of endocarditis.