RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Combined brucella melitensis and streptococcal viridans endocarditis
JF Saudi Medical Journal
JO Saudi Med J
FD Prince Sultan Military Medical City
SP 99
OP 103
VO 23
IS 1
A1 Tarig S. Al-Khuwaitir
A1 Bashir A. Wani
A1 Suphia M. Sherbeeni
YR 2002
UL http://smj.org.sa/content/23/1/99.abstract
AB Infectious endocarditis is a potentially lethal inflammation of the hearts' inner lining invaded by microorganisms. The mortality from this illness increases as the number of infective organisms rises to 2, due to involvement of the left side of the heart. These microorganisms usually arise from the patient's own flora but can be acquired from the environment. Fever and heart murmurs are the principal clinical manifestations followed by a plethora of peripheral signs due to dissemination of microorganisms via the bloodstream. Echocardiographic imaging and sensitive culture techniques form the cornerstone of diagnosis. We report a patient with rheumatic heart disease who had combined brucella melitensis and streptococcus viridans endocarditis complicated by heart failure and an aortic root abscess. He was diagnosed on the basis of a history of prolonged fever and occupational risk as a shepherd, the presence of heart murmurs, positive blood cultures and echocardiographic evidence of aortic vegetations. He had an excellent response to intravenous antibiotic therapy combined with aortic valve replacement, which nowadays is regarded as the safest therapeutic approach for aortic valve endocarditis.