Brucella involving the heart: a hidden disease

Brucellosis is a multisystemic disease with serious cardiac involvement mainly endocarditis. It is a lethal but rare complication involving congenital, prosthetic and even native valves. Positive hemoculture confirm the diagnosis. Brucella endocarditis is known for large vegetations and surgery is the treatment of choice. Abscess formation can be seen in untreated patients. An 80-year-old male patient presented with fever, cough and progressive shortness of breath for 14 days. His known history revealed a poorly treated brucellosis 18 months ago due to noncompliance. Four months later, he presented for recurrent fever. Physical examination showed a systolic aortic murmur radiating to the carotid. Blood cultures were negative; however, blocking antibodies were 1/2560. Echocardiography showed calcified aortic stenosis. Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed an abscess formation at the level of the non-coronary cusp. A quadritherapy was initiated involving Ceftriaxone, gentamicin, doxycycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (shortage in molecule replaced by ciprofloxacin). Patient underwent surgery. An aortic valve bioprostheses was successfully implanted one week after initiating antibiotics. Intraoperative cultures were negative. A post-operative transthoracic echocardiography revealed a moderate periprosthetic aortic leak with a mean gradient of 18mmHg. He was discharged 18 days following surgery on doxycycline, rifampicin, and ciprofloxacin for 3 more months, with adequate follow up. The challenge remains in the timing of diagnosis which affects the prognosis of the disease. Early diagnosis and effective medical and surgical management are essential.