Korean Circ J.  2014 Nov;44(6):441-443. 10.4070/kcj.2014.44.6.441.

Successful Medical Treatment of Prosthetic Mitral Valve Endocarditis Caused by Brucella abortus

• Lee SA
• Kim KH
• Shin HS
• Lee HS
• Choi HM
• Kim HK

• KMID: 2223863
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2014.44.6.441

Abstract

Although Brucella endocarditis is a rare complication of human brucellosis, it is the main cause of the mortality in this disease. Traditionally, the therapeutic approach to endocarditis caused by Brucella species requires a combination of antimicrobial therapy and valve replacement surgery. In the literature, only a few cases of mitral prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Brucella species have been successfully treated without reoperation. We present a case of a 42-year-old man with a prosthetic mitral valve infected by Brucella abortus who was cured solely by medical treatment.

Keyword

Infective endocarditis; Cardiac valve prosthesis; Brucella abortus

MeSH Terms

Adult
Brucella
Brucella abortus*
Brucellosis
Endocarditis*
Heart Valve Prosthesis
Humans
Mitral Valve*
Mortality
Reoperation

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Transesophageal echocardiography at admission demonstrated a small vegetation (3×8 mm; white arrow) attached at the inferomedial portion of the mitral prosthetic valve annulus (black arrow). LA: left atrium.

• 

  Fig. 2 Transesophageal echocardiography after 16 days of treatment revealed the complete resolution of the mitral vegetation. LA: left atrium.

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