Infective endocarditis and mannose-binding lectin deficiency - A case report

We present the case of a 40-year-old woman diagnosed with Austrian syndrome, an association of endocarditis, meningitis and pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumonia. She had none of the risk factors previously described in the literature but on immunological assay was found to have low serum levels of mannose-binding lectin, a protein required for complement activation. The clinical manifestation and treatment of this condition are discussed, and we emphasize the importance of early recognition of cardiac involvement and prompt surgical management.