Cerebrovascular accident in a 65-year-old patient with Rothia dentocariosa-associated endocarditis

Abstract

A 65-year-old male patient with a history of heart valve replacement surgery after aortic valve stenosis and a family history of heart disease presented to the emergency room with complaints of headache, fever, back pain, and general malaise. Multiple blood samples during the patient's hospitalization cultured showed Rothia dentocariosa. The patient was started on daily intravenous ceftriaxone and vancomycin. In the following weeks, the patient's condition deteriorated with additional symptoms, persistent inflammatory markers, and elevated fever consistent with R. dentocariosa infection. The patient's clinical progression led to a cerebrovascular accident that was resolved with thrombectomy. Full symptomatic relief occurred after a valve replacement. R. dentocariosa, a common mouth flora, is not commonly pathogenic. This case is of particular importance as severe complications involving this bacterium are rare. There is an extreme paucity of cases involving deadly complications of R. dentocariosa, and there is no general consensus involving standard treatment regimen for this bacterium. We believe that this paper adds to clinical knowledge surrounding R. dentocariosa.

Keywords

• bacteremia
• cerebrovascular accident
• endocarditis
• ischemic stroke
• rothia dentocariosa
• thrombectomy