title: Identification of Cardiobacterium hominis by broad-range bacterial polymerase chain reaction analysis in a case of culture-negative endocarditis.
abstract: Culture-negative bacterial endocarditis may be attributed to fastidious microorganisms, prior institution of antibiotic treatment, or both. We describe a case of culture-negative endocarditis in which a modified Steiner stain revealed bacterial structures in the resected heart valve material. Prompted by this finding, broad-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of small-subunit ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA) was performed, and Cardiobacterium hominis sequences were detected. This case demonstrates the usefulness of both the Steiner stain and broad-range direct molecular amplification as supplemental diagnostic tools in identification of otherwise unexplained infections.
authors.affiliation: Palo Alto Vetrans Affairs Health Care System, Calif, USA. simo.nikkari@mobidiag.com
authors.forename: Simo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nikkari
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gotoff
authors.forename: Paul P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Bourbeau
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Nazmi R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Kamal
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Relman
mesh_terms: D004396:Coloring Agents; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006088:Gram-Negative Aerobic Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents