A rare case of bacterial infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus alactolyticus

Abstract

Background: Streptococcus alactolyticus is a rarely isolated bacterium, which classified under DNA cluster IV of the S. Bovis/S. equinus complex. Infections, especially infective endocarditis, caused by Strep. alactolyticus are very rare in humans. Case Report: We describe a case of Strepotoccocus alactolyticus bacteriemia complicated by infective endocarditis. A 64-year-old male with a previous history of coronary artery bypass grafting applied to our cardiology outpatient clinic with complaints of dyspnea, fever, confusion and an apical holosystolic murmur. He was admitted to the intensive care unit. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography showed the presence vegetation on the aortic valve. S. alactolyticus was detected on serial blood cultures. The patient was first treated with intensive antimicrobial therapy, and then underwent mitral and aortic valve replacements with uneventful follow-up. Conclusion: Streptococcus alactolyticus infective endocarditis has only been reported previously in one patient. More information is certainly needed for diagnosis and treatment of patients infected with Streptococcus alactolyticus. Key words: Streptococcus alactolyticus, endocarditis

Keywords

• Streptococcus alactolyticus
• endocarditis