Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Pasteurella in a penicillin allergic patient: challenges in diagnosis and...

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology
• Cardiology

Background:

• Infective endocarditis is a serious infection of the heart lining or valves.
• Pasteurella multocida is an uncommon pathogen causing infective endocarditis, with limited documented cases.
• Immunocompromised status and co-morbidities increase susceptibility to rare infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of infective endocarditis caused by Pasteurella multocida.
• To highlight the diagnostic utility of molecular techniques in identifying challenging pathogens.
• To review and synthesize existing literature on P. multocida endocarditis.

Main Methods:

• Case presentation of a 38-year-old penicillin-allergic, immunocompromised patient.
• Identification of the causative agent using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
• Confirmation of bacterial identification via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).
• Comprehensive literature review of previously reported cases.

Main Results:

• Pasteurella multocida was definitively identified as the causative agent of infective endocarditis.
• The patient's clinical presentation and diagnostic workup are detailed.
• Molecular methods provided accurate and rapid species identification.

Conclusions:

• Pasteurella multocida, though rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infective endocarditis, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.
• Advanced molecular diagnostic tools are crucial for accurate identification of unusual pathogens.
• Further case reports and literature reviews are essential for understanding this rare clinical entity.