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Published on: June 4, 2012

Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis: a case of rat bite fever

Po-Lin Chen1, Nan-Yao Lee, Jing-Jou Yan

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, No. 138, Sheng Li Road, Tainan 704, Taiwan. winston@mail.ncku.edu.tw

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|July 27, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Rat bite fever caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis occurred in Taiwan, manifesting as prosthetic valve endocarditis. Successful treatment involved valve replacement and antibiotics, with bacterial DNA confirmed by PCR.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cardiology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Rat bite fever is a bacterial infection transmitted by rodents.
  • Prosthetic valve endocarditis is a serious complication of cardiac surgery.

Observation:

  • A case of rat bite fever caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis was observed in Taiwan.
  • The infection presented as prosthetic valve endocarditis.

Findings:

  • The patient underwent successful treatment with cardiac valve replacement and antimicrobial therapy.
  • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nucleotide sequencing confirmed the presence of Streptobacillus moniliformis DNA in valve specimens.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of considering rat bite fever in patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis.
  • Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are crucial for favorable outcomes.
  • Molecular detection methods like PCR can aid in identifying the causative agent.

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