Korean J Clin Microbiol.  2009 Jun;12(2):78-81. 10.5145/KJCM.2009.12.2.78.

A Case of Haemophilus parainfluenzae Endocarditis

• Huh JH
• Bae SY
• Kim JS
• Lee KN
• Lee CK

• KMID: 1469957
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5145/KJCM.2009.12.2.78

Abstract

The HACEK group of bacteria (Haemophilus parainfluenzae, H. aphrophilus, H. paraphrophilus, Actinobacilus actinomycetemcomitans, Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corodens, and Kingella kingae) are the normal flora of the upper respiratory tract and oropharynx. The organisms infect abnormal cardiac valves, causing subacute native endocarditis or prosthetic valve endocarditis more than one year after valve surgery. Haemophilus species are responsible for only 0.5~1% of all infective endocarditis cases. Embolization occurs in 60% and the mortality rate ranges from 16~45% of cases of infective endocarditis caused by H. parainfluenzae. We experienced a case of infective endocarditis due to H. parainfluenzae in a 37-year-old male admitted with high fever, chills, nausea & vomiting, chest discomfort, and blurred vision. The organism was isolated from a blood culture and was identified as H. parainfluenzae by factor V requirement, negativity at urea, positivity at ornithine decarboxylase, and acid production from glucose and maltose. The patient was treated with antibiotics and symptoms and signs were improved

Keyword

Haemophilus parainfluenzae; HACEK bacteria; Infective endocarditis

MeSH Terms

Adult
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Bacteria
Cardiobacterium
Chills
Eikenella
Endocarditis
Factor V
Fever
Glucose
Haemophilus
Haemophilus parainfluenzae
Heart Valves
Humans
Kingella
Male
Maltose
Nausea
Ornithine Decarboxylase
Oropharynx
Paramyxoviridae Infections
Respiratory System
Thorax
Urea
Vision, Ocular
Vomiting
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Factor V
Glucose
Maltose
Ornithine Decarboxylase
Urea