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Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium pilosum
1Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Clinic i Provincial, Barcelona, Spain.
Infection
|July 1, 1991
Summary
A rare case of prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium pilosum occurred eighty years after aortic valve replacement. Despite antibiotic treatment, the patient experienced a fatal outcome.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Medical Case Reports
Background:
- Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is a serious complication following heart valve replacement surgery.
- Bovine pericardium bioprostheses are commonly used for aortic valve replacement.
- Late-onset PVE, occurring years after surgery, presents unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
Observation:
- A 79-year-old woman presented with symptoms indicative of prosthetic valve endocarditis.
- The patient had undergone aortic valve replacement with a bovine pericardium bioprosthesis eighty years prior.
- The causative agent was identified as Corynebacterium pilosum.
Findings:
- The patient exhibited an unfavorable clinical course despite receiving appropriate antibiotic therapy.
- Corynebacterium pilosum, a rare pathogen, was implicated in this late-onset prosthetic valve endocarditis.
- The infection ultimately led to the patient's death.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for rare bacterial pathogens to cause late prosthetic valve endocarditis.
- It underscores the importance of considering unusual organisms in the differential diagnosis of PVE, even decades after valve replacement.
- Further research may be needed to understand the long-term risks and optimal management strategies for PVE caused by less common bacteria.