Corynebacterium diphtheriae endocarditis

Authors

  • Fernando Peixoto Ferraz de Campos Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
  • Vilma Takayasu Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
  • Hugo Deutsch Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
  • Henrique Lane Staniak Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
  • Silvia Regina dos Santos Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4322/acr.2016.016

Keywords:

Infectious endocarditis, Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

Abstract

The authors report the case of a 69-year-old man with an acute toxemic and febrile syndrome. Immediately after admission, the patient’s mental status rapidly deteriorated. A faint mitral systolic murmur was detected and splenomegaly was
observed on ultrasound examination. Laboratory screening revealed azotemia, AST and ALT elevation, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate as well as C-reactive-protein. Urinalysis showed proteinuria,
leukocyturia and hematuria. A transesophageal echocardiogram showed large vegetations attached to both mitral leaflets with mild regurgitation. Blood culture yielded slow-growing Gram-positive bacillus which was later identified as a nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae sorovar gravis. The authors emphasize the importance of identifying any bacteria isolated in blood samples particularly when an infective endocarditis diagnosis is suspected and call attention to the
increasing number of reports related to this pathogen. Patient’s clinical outcome was favorable after a long period of antibiotic therapy.

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Author Biographies

  • Fernando Peixoto Ferraz de Campos, Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
    Department of Internal Medicine - Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
  • Vilma Takayasu, Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
    Department of Internal Medicine - Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
  • Hugo Deutsch, Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
    Department of Internal Medicine - Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
  • Henrique Lane Staniak, Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
    Department of Internal Medicine - Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
  • Silvia Regina dos Santos, Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.
    Clinical Pathology Laboratory - Hospital Universitário - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP – Brazil.

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Published

2011-03-08

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2011)

Section

Article / Clinical Case Report

License

Authors of articles published by Autopsy and Case Report retain the copyright of their work without restrictions, licensing it under the Creative Commons Attribution License - CC-BY, which allows articles to be re-used and re-distributed without restriction, as long as the original work is correctly cited.

How to Cite

de Campos, F. P. F., Takayasu, V., Deutsch, H., Staniak, H. L., & dos Santos, S. R. (2011). Corynebacterium diphtheriae endocarditis. Autopsy and Case Reports, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.4322/acr.2016.016