Korean J Clin Microbiol.  2006 Apr;9(1):71-75.

Isolation of Haemophilus aphrophilus and Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci from the Blood of a Patient with Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis

• Kim CK
• Cho I
• Park YH
• Roh KH
• Yong D
• Lee K
• Kim JM
• Chong Y

Abstract

Haemophilus aphrophilus is a facultative anaerobic, gram-negative coccobacillus or bacillus and its growth is stimulated by 5 to 10% CO2. Most Haemophilus species require either exogenous X or V factor or both to grow, but H. aphrophilus can grow without these factors. H. aphrophilus rarely causes invasive infections such as endocarditis, septicemia, pneumonia and peritonitis in human. Two cases of infective endocarditis by H. aphrophilus have been reported in Korea. However, there has been no report of polymicrobial endocarditis by H. aphrophilus and other bacteria. We isolated H. aphrophilus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) from the blood of a 38-year-old woman with prosthetic valve endocarditis. She underwent an emergent operation and a culture of the prosthetic valve grew H. aphrophilus. Brain abscess was developed at hospital day 11. H. aphrophilus was susceptible to all antibiotics tested such as ampicillin and cefotaxime, and CNS was susceptible to oxacillin and vancomycin. The patient responded well to therapy with ceftriaxone, teicoplanin, and gentamicin.

Keyword

Haemophilus aphrophilus; Coagulase-negative staphylococci; Endocarditis

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aggregatibacter aphrophilus*
Ampicillin
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Bacillus
Bacteria
Brain Abscess
Cefotaxime
Ceftriaxone
Endocarditis*
Female
Gentamicins
Haemophilus*
Humans
Korea
Oxacillin
Peritonitis
Pneumonia
Sepsis
Teicoplanin
Vancomycin
Ampicillin
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Cefotaxime
Ceftriaxone
Gentamicins
Oxacillin
Teicoplanin
Vancomycin