title: Aortic valve endocarditis caused by Salmonella species.
abstract: We report a case of aortic valve endocarditis caused by an uncommon pathogen, Salmonella species. Transthoracic echocardiography proved to be inadequate to show the valvular destruction. Transesophageal echocardiography was instrumental in establishing the diagnosis of endocarditis by documenting aortic vegetations with attendant tissue damage extending beyond the valve leaflets (i.e., subvalvular and perivalvular damage). The findings were anatomically confirmed at surgery, which also revealed an aortic root-right ventricular fistula and several aortic ring abscesses. Early implementation of transesophageal echocardiography is strongly recommended in patients with suspected endocarditis.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, American-Hellenic Educational Progressive Association Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pliakos
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nouskas
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dobros
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sofos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zebekakis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazaridis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tourkantonis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000382:microbiology; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000382:microbiology