IDCases (Jan 2023)

Recurrent Neisseria cinerea bacteremia secondary to cardiovascular implantable electronic device infection

  • Zachary S. Bernstein,
  • James J. Vaillant,
  • Hector I. Michelena,
  • Sorin V. Pislaru,
  • Daniel C. DeSimone

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 32
p. e01745

Abstract

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We present the first case of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infection due to Neisseria cinerea in a 64-year-old woman from Panama. She had a history of splenectomy, aortic valve stenosis requiring transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and permanent pacemaker placement. She presented with relapsing N. cinerea bacteremia over a 3-month period. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed a lead vegetation in the superior vena cava. She was successfully treated with pacemaker removal and 2 weeks of IV antibiotic therapy. N. cinerea is an aerobic gram-negative commensal diplococcus typically found in the human nasopharynx. Infection in humans is rare with few case reports in the literature.

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