Abiotrophia defectiva Endocarditis: A Rare Cause with Aggressive Systemic Embolisation and Need of Valve Replacement

Abstract

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a well-described infectious disease, one with increased morbidity and mortality being the third or fourth most common life-threatening infection syndrome. Abiotrophia defectiva is a non-motile, catalase negative, gram-positive coccus in a chain, which can be isolated from the oral cavity, intestinal, and genitourinary tracts. IE due to this agent is rare and associated with heart valve destruction, congestive heart failure, and high embolisation rates, these being the major mortality causes. We present a case of IE due to this agent, complicated with a stroke, and splenic and renal infarction, with the need for aortic valve replacement. This article highlights the gaps of knowledge left by the rarity of this disease, which range from its diagnosis to its treatment, and what we need to mitigate such gaps, supported with a case description of a successful treatment of this infection.

Abiotrophia defectiva Endocarditis: A Case Diagnosed Incidentally Due to Multi-organ Embolism

“…One of its key roles is in the development of infective endocarditis (IE), accounting for 5-6% of IE instances linked to viridans streptococci [ 2 ]. Moreover, IE due to A. defectiva has been known to cause massive embolism; therefore, early diagnosis and prompt therapeutic intervention are of paramount importance [ 3 , 4 ]. Here, we report a case of incidentally diagnosed A. defectiva IE presenting multiple cerebral infarctions and splenic embolism.…”