Brucellosis complicated by aortic valve endocarditis.
A 30 year old veterinary surgeon developed a febrile illness with serological evidence of Brucellosis. He was known to have aortic valve disease and during the course of the illness, the clinical features of endocarditis became evident, with a vegetation visible echocardiographically on the aortic valve. Because of persisting fever despite appropriate antibiotic therapy, aortic valve replacement with a viable cryopreserved allograft aortic valve was undertaken. Organisms consistent with Brucella species were demonstrated in the excised vegetation. The patient received a six week course of antibiotics and his post-operative course was uneventful.
Skillington
P D
PD
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Prince Charles Hospital, Qld, Australia.
McGiffin
D C
DC
Kemp
R
R
Bett
J H
JH
Holt
G
G
Forgan-Smith
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male