Bartonella henselae infective endocarditis with dissemination: A case report and literature review in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Bartonella is among the most common causes of culture-negative infective endocarditis, with B. henselae being one of the most frequently reported species. The clinical presentation of Bartonella endocarditis is similar to that of subacute bacterial endocarditis caused by other bacteria and the diagnosis can be challenging since the organism is difficult to isolate using standard microbiologic culture techniques. In clinical practice, Bartonella endocarditis is usually diagnosed based on serology. To date, only a handful of cases of infective endocarditis caused by Bartonella have been reported in Thailand. Here, we report the case of 51-year-old Thai male with B. henselae endocarditis with dissemination to the lungs, bones, subcutaneous tissue, epididymis, and lymph nodes with a successful outcome. Keywords: Bartonella, Bartonella henselae, Bartonella endocarditis, Disseminated Bartonella henselae infection, Culture-negative endocarditis