Native-valve endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus lugdunensis.
Coagulase-negative staphylococci cause about 5% of native-valve endocarditis. Staphylococcus lugdunensis, a recently-described species of coagulase-negative staphylococci, has been reported to cause destructive native-valve endocarditis with a high mortality. We report four consecutive cases of definite Staphylococcus lugdunensis native-valve endocarditis by the Duke criteria over a 4-year period. All patients required urgent aortic valve replacement 1-5 days after admission, and recovered. An intriguing, aspect in the presentation of these patients was a history of vasectomy and inguinal skin breaks in the immediate period preceding the occurrence of endocarditis.
Lessing
M P
MP
Department of Medical Microbiology, John Radcliffe, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital, UK.
Crook
D W
DW
Bowler
I C
IC
Gribbin
B
B
D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014659:Vasectomy