Cardiobacterium hominis infective endocarditis: A literature review

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Cardiology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Cardiobacterium hominis, a HACEK group bacterium, is an uncommon cause of infective endocarditis (IE).
• Diagnosis is often delayed due to slow bacterial growth in culture.
• Clinical manifestations of C. hominis IE are not well-defined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the clinical characteristics of infective endocarditis caused by Cardiobacterium hominis.
• To provide insights into diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of C. hominis IE.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed for C. hominis IE cases.
• Articles published between January 2000 and July 2022 were included.
• Data from 44 reported cases were analyzed for clinical features, predisposing factors, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• The median patient age was 59 years, with a male predominance (36/44).
• Common symptoms included chest discomfort, fever, and night sweats. Predisposing factors involved postsurgical valve treatment and dental issues.
• The aortic valve was most frequently affected, with systemic embolism as a common complication. Median diagnosis time was 4 days (range: 4-42 days).

Conclusions:

• Physicians should consider C. hominis in IE cases, especially with risk factors like valve disease or dental procedures.
• Echocardiography is crucial for detecting vegetations on heart valves.
• Prompt diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic therapy (e.g., cephem) and surgical intervention improve patient outcomes, with a high recovery rate (91%).