RETRACTED ARTICLE: Fatal Neisseria macacae infective endocarditis: first report

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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
PubMed

Insights

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.

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