Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026
10:12
Neisseria meningitidis Infection of Induced Pluripotent Stem-Cell Derived Brain Endothelial Cells
Published on: July 14, 2020
2.8K
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Fatal Neisseria macacae infective endocarditis: first report
Maude Vecten1,2, Hélène Martel3, Jean-Paul Casalta1,2
1Faculté de Médecine, URMITE, Aix-Marseille Université, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, IHU Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005, Marseille, France.
Infection
|January 30, 2017
Summary
This case report details a rare human infection of infective endocarditis caused by Neisseria macacae, a bacterium typically found in rhesus monkeys. Despite treatment, the patient succumbed to complications.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
Background:
- Neisseria macacae is a Gram-negative diplococcus residing in the oropharynx of rhesus monkeys.
- Human infections attributed to N. macacae are exceptionally uncommon.
Observation:
- A 65-year-old male presented with infective endocarditis involving a native aortic valve.
- The infection was complicated by a peri-aortic abscess.
Findings:
- Neisseria macacae was identified in blood cultures and confirmed on the cardiac valve via 16S rDNA detection.
- Despite antibiotic therapy, aortic homograft replacement, and mitral valve repair, the patient experienced a fatal hemorrhagic stroke post-surgery.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for zoonotic transmission of Neisseria macacae to humans, leading to severe cardiac infections.
- It underscores the importance of considering rare pathogens in complex clinical presentations.
- The case also emphasizes the critical, albeit sometimes limited, role of timely diagnosis and intervention in managing rare bacterial endocarditis.
