Bacterial Endocarditis Caused byAbiotrophia defectivain a Healthy Adult: A Case Report with Literature Review

Abstract

Infective endocarditis caused by Abiotrophia defectiva is rarely encountered. A 67-year-old male transferred from a local hospital presented with severe dyspnea and pulmonary edema. Preoperative transthoracic echocardiography revealed severe mitral regurgitation with large vegetation. Blood cultures grew A. defectiva, a gram positive, nutritionally deficient streptococcus variant. Emergent mitral valve replacement through right thoracotomy was performed, and after completing six weeks of antibiotic combination therapy (vancomycin, ampicillin, and gentamicin), the pa-tient recovered fully. Because of the need for prompt surgical treatment and long-term antibiotic therapy and lack of laboratory experience with the organism, physicians and laboratory workers should pay close attention to the possibility of A. defectiva infective endocarditis when gram positive cocci are detected in blood cultures.

Abiotrophia defectiva Infective Endocarditis: A Rare and Dangerous Cause of Endocarditis

“…Dental manipulation has been identified in approximately 32% of cases of Abiotrophia defective endocarditis [ 15 ], prompting the question of if antibiotic prophylaxis could be justified in this patient population. Abiotrophia species have also had a predilection of affecting the mitral valve in cases of endocarditis though the aortic valve has been involved in a minority of cases [ 16 ].…”