Corynebacterium diphtheriae-infective endocarditis in a patient with an atrial septal defect closure device.

Abstract

An 18-year-old woman presented to our institution with fever, bilateral flank pain, headache and photophobia. She had a previous atrial septal defect (ASD) closure device inserted at the age of 9 years. Blood cultures on admission were positive for Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE) revealed an echodensity associated with the ASD closure device, most consistent with a vegetation. She was treated for infective endocarditis with 6 weeks of intravenous benzylpenicillin, and follow-up TOE showed resolution of the echodensity. To our knowledge, no cases of C. diphtheriaeendocarditis of an ASD closure device have previously been reported.

• Authors: Jacinta Ng, Teesha Downton, Natalie Davidson, James Marangou
• Journal: BMJ case reports (BMJ Case Rep) Vol. 12 Issue 5 (May 09 2019) ISSN: 1757-790X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 31076496 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: © BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Penicillin G

Topics

• Adolescent
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (administration & dosage)
• Corynebacterium diphtheriae (isolation & purification)
• Echocardiography, Transesophageal
• Endocarditis (diagnosis, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Female
• Fever (microbiology)
• Flank Pain (microbiology)
• Heart Septal Defects, Atrial (surgery)
• Humans
• Infusions, Intravenous
• Penicillin G (administration & dosage)
• Photophobia (microbiology)
• Prosthesis-Related Infections (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Septal Occluder Device (adverse effects, microbiology)
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome