Endocarditis Caused by Coxiella burnetii: A Case Report in Western Iran

Abstract

Background: Q fever is a contagious zoonotic disease which is caused by a gram-negative and an intracellular cocco­bacillus known as Coxiella burnetii that ticks play role in its transmission. Endocarditis is the most common conse­quence of chronic Q fever. Methods: Here we report a case of endocarditis caused by Q fever. The patient is a 67-year-old, and she had coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and aortic valve replacement surgery. Results: The result of echocardiography showed a suspicious mass (Vegetation) on the implanted valve. Based on la­boratory and clinical assessments, endocarditis caused by C. burnetii was the final diagnosis. Conclusion: Q fever is a tick-transmitted pathogen that has been known as an important cause of culture-negative en­docarditis in Iran, and more attention needed to be paid to this disease in Iran by the healthcare system and physicians.

Keywords

• Q fever
• Coxiella burnetii
• Endocarditis
• Iran