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Infective endocarditis of an interventricular patch caused by Acinetobacter haemolyticus
E Castellanos Martínez1, M Telenti Asensio, V M Rodríguez Blanco
1Dept. of Cardiology, Hospital Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.
Abstract:
A case of infective endocarditis caused by Acinetobacter haemolyticus affecting and interventricular patch is reported. The patient, a 21-year-old man with a Fallot's tetralogy who had undergone cardiovascular surgery several years before, received imipenem and gentamicin for 6 and 4 weeks respectively and showed a good response without needing surgical treatment. Endocarditis by Acinetobacter species is very unusual and, to our knowledge, this is the first reported case of infective endocarditis caused by A. haemolyticus. As the clinical characteristics and the response to antibiotics appear to be similar to those reported for infective endocarditis by Acinetobacter lwoffi, prosthetic infective endocarditis by A. haemolyticus is apparently not always an indication for surgical treatment.
Insights
This case report details a rare instance of infective endocarditis caused by Acinetobacter haemolyticus in a patient with a history of cardiovascular surgery. The patient successfully responded to antibiotic treatment, suggesting surgery may not always be necessary for this specific infection.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Medical Microbiology
Background:
- Infective endocarditis (IE) is a serious infection of the heart's inner lining or valves.
- Acinetobacter species are uncommon causes of IE, with Acinetobacter haemolyticus being particularly rare.
Observation:
- A 21-year-old male with Fallot's tetralogy and a history of cardiovascular surgery developed IE affecting an interventricular patch.
- The causative agent was identified as Acinetobacter haemolyticus.
Findings:
- The patient received a 6-week course of imipenem and a 4-week course of gentamicin.
- A favorable clinical response was achieved with antibiotic therapy alone, avoiding surgical intervention.
Implications:
- This is the first reported case of infective endocarditis caused by Acinetobacter haemolyticus.
- Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by A. haemolyticus may not invariably require surgical treatment, similar to A. lwoffi infections.