Ampicillin plus ceftriaxone therapy against Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis: A case report, guidelines considerations, and literature review
Andrea Marino,
Antonio Munafò,
Aldo Zagami,
Manuela Ceccarelli,
Edoardo Campanella,
Federica Cosentino,
Vittoria Moscatt,
Giuseppina Cantarella,
Rosaria Di Mauro,
Renato Bernardini,
Giuseppe Nunnari,
Bruno Cacopardo
Affiliations
Andrea Marino
Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy; Correspondence to: ARNAS Garibaldi Hospital, Via Palermo, 636, 95122 Catania, Italy.
Antonio Munafò
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Science, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; Unit of Clinical Toxicology, Policlinico G. Rodolico, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Aldo Zagami
Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Manuela Ceccarelli
Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Edoardo Campanella
Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
Federica Cosentino
Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
Vittoria Moscatt
Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
Giuseppina Cantarella
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Science, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; Unit of Clinical Toxicology, Policlinico G. Rodolico, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Rosaria Di Mauro
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Science, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; Unit of Clinical Toxicology, Policlinico G. Rodolico, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Renato Bernardini
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Science, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; Unit of Clinical Toxicology, Policlinico G. Rodolico, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Giuseppe Nunnari
Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
Bruno Cacopardo
Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis (EFIE) continues to be a very serious disease, showing considerable morbidity and mortality rates which are influenced by the spread of multi-drug resistant strains occurred in the last decades. Although aminoglycosides were considered the treatment of choice of EIFE, in recent years several studies have investigated alternative therapeutic approaches, including combinations of beta-lactams, mainly because of the aminoglycoside-renowned nephrotoxicity and the widespread development of high-level aminoglycosides resistance (HLAR). In this scenario, we reported a case involving a prosthetic valve infective endocarditis caused by an aminoglycoside-resistant E. faecalis strain which was successfully treated with ampicillin plus ceftriaxone despite the presence of artificial heart valve and the patient’s severe clinical conditions.
