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Abdominal infectious aortitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae: a case report and literature review

Claire Cartery1, Leonardo Astudillo, Amar Deelchand

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Purpan, Toulouse, France.

Annals of Vascular Surgery
|October 8, 2010
PubMed

Insights

This case report details a fatal outcome of Streptococcus pneumoniae-induced abdominal aortic mycotic aneurysm, emphasizing the critical need for early diagnosis and combined antibiotic and surgical treatment for infectious aortitis.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Surgery
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Infectious aortitis, particularly mycotic aneurysms, is a rare but life-threatening condition.
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae is an uncommon but recognized cause of mycotic aneurysms.

Observation:

  • A 75-year-old male presented with fever and pelvic pain, initially suspected of having a pneumococcal-infected aortic aneurysm.
  • Diagnosis was confirmed by a second angio-computed tomography (CT) scan, revealing abdominal infectious aortitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Findings:

  • Despite prompt surgical resection and antibiotic therapy, the patient succumbed to severe sepsis 10 days post-operation.
  • Literature review identified 29 additional cases of abdominal aortic mycotic aneurysms caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Implications:

  • Early diagnosis of infectious aortitis is crucial, though often delayed due to nonspecific symptoms.
  • Combined antibiotic treatment and complete surgical excision of the infected aorta represent the gold standard for managing mycotic aneurysms.
  • This case underscores the high mortality associated with untreated infectious aortitis and the importance of timely intervention.

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