Urine My Heart: A Case of Aerococcal Endocarditis

An elderly woman with previously known valvular disease presented to the emergency department due to altered mental status. In addition to obtaining an infectious work-up, a bedside echocardiogram was performed and revealed right heart strain prompting a formal echocardiogram evaluation and treatment for a possible pulmonary embolism. Initial laboratory work returned with blood and urine cultures positive for Aerococcus urinae. A transthoracic echocardiogram further revealed new aortic regurgitation. Given this, a transesophageal echocardiogram was completed, confirming new aortic insufficiency as well as findings of infective endocarditis. She did not undergo surgical intervention; however, she was discharged with a plan to continue intravenous antibiotics for six weeks. Although typically seen in genitourinary infections, A. urinae is a rare cause of infective endocarditis and is increasingly identified due to improved speciation techniques. We describe a unique presentation of invasive A. urinae infection to increase awareness and further research on a less commonly encountered bacteria that may present as a urinary tract infection and has the potential to cause invasive disease.