Open AccessLethal infective endocarditis due to Streptococcus agalactiae in a man with a history of alcohol abuse
Author(s) -
Myriam D’Angelo,
Ilaria Boretti,
Salvatore Quattrocchi,
Giovanni Alongi,
Carmela Rifici,
Francesco Corallo,
A Magazù,
Demetrio Milardi,
G. Cannavà,
Placido Bramantı,
Antonio Duca
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.59
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1536-5964
pISSN - 0025-7974
DOI - 10.1097/md.0000000000018270
Subject(s) - medicine , infective endocarditis , endocarditis , heart failure , streptococcus agalactiae , heart disease , endocardium , atrial fibrillation , surgery , complication , cardiology , streptococcus , biology , bacteria , genetics
Rational: Infective endocarditis (IE) is defined as an infection of the endocardial surface of the heart, which may include one or more heart valves, the mural endocardium. Patient concerns: A 53-years-old man with a history of alcohol abuse was admitted in hospital for fever, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation cardioverted by Amiodarone and pulmonary infection. Diagnosis: A case of recurrent severe endocarditis, with neurological complications both ischemic and hemorrhagic and heart failure caused by Streptococcus agalactiae in healthy man we reported. Interventions: Surgery was performed 2 weeks after admission. Outcomes: The onset of intracranial hemorrhage delayed second cardiac surgery and the patient died because of end-stage heart failure. Conclusions: Infective endocarditis caused by S. agalactiae is very rare, particularly in patients without underlying structural heart disease. This study showed that IE due to S. Agalactiae is a disease with high mortality when associated with neurological complication, heart failure but especially when it is recurrent and hits valve prosthesis.