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Endocarditis caused by Haemophilus parainfluenzae identified by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing
I Das1, J V DeGiovanni, J Gray
1Department of Microbiology, Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Abstract:
Haemophilus parainfluenzae, a human commensal, is an infrequent cause of serious disease. A case of endocarditis caused by this organism in a five year old boy with complex congenital heart disease is reported. The course of this disease was very aggressive, leading to heart failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation and multiorgan failure in spite of appropriate antibiotics and surgical intervention. The difficulties in the detection and identification of H parainfluenzae using conventional culture based technology, and the potential role of molecular techniques, are highlighted.
Insights
Haemophilus parainfluenzae endocarditis is rare but aggressive in children with congenital heart disease. Early detection challenges highlight the need for advanced molecular diagnostic methods.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Haemophilus parainfluenzae is a common human commensal.
- Serious infections, such as endocarditis, are infrequent but can occur.
- Complex congenital heart disease increases susceptibility to severe infections.