Isolated pulmonary valve endocarditis masquerading as community-acquired pneumonia

Abstract

Isolated pulmonary valve endocarditis in intravenous drug users is a rarely reported phenomenon. We present the case of a 25-year-old male with history of intravenous drug use who presented with respiratory symptoms after failing outpatient treatment for community-acquired pneumonia. Further investigations identified multiple lung lesions with early cavitation, concerning for septic pulmonary embolism on computerized tomography scan, positive blood cultures with methicillin-susceptible staphylococcus aureus, and isolated vegetation of the pulmonic valve on transthoracic echocardiography. The patient had a complete recovery after being treated medically with intravenous oxacillin for a total of 6 weeks.

Keywords

• native pulmonary valve
• bacterial endocarditis
• staphylococcus aureus