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Multi-valvular infective endocarditis from Gemella morbillorum.
Anish Kumar Desai1, Erin Murchan Bonura2
1Internal Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
BMJ Case Reports
|July 24, 2021
Summary
Gemella morbillorum increasingly causes infectious endocarditis, often requiring advanced diagnostics like MALDI-TOF for identification. This destructive bacterium can affect heart valves, leading to severe complications and the need for surgical intervention.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Gemella morbillorum is an emerging cause of infectious endocarditis.
- Standard culture methods can be insufficient for identifying Gemella morbillorum.
Observation:
- A patient presented with anemia, renal failure, infarcts, and embolic disease.
- Endocarditis was diagnosed, caused by an organism requiring MALDI-TOF for identification.
- The patient exhibited rare pulmonic valve involvement in a structurally normal heart.
Findings:
- Bacteriological cure was achieved, but the destructive nature of Gemella morbillorum necessitated valve replacement.
- The patient's presentation raised suspicion for gastrointestinal malignancy.
- Gemella morbillorum endocarditis is increasingly identified with advanced diagnostics.
Implications:
- Clinicians must consider Gemella morbillorum in difficult-to-identify endocarditis cases.
- Early and accurate identification is crucial for managing Gemella morbillorum infections.
- The destructive potential of Gemella morbillorum highlights the need for prompt and effective treatment strategies.
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