title: Infective endocarditis associated with a scorpion sting.
abstract: We report the successful surgical intervention in two cases of aortic valve bacterial endocarditis after scorpion stings. Infective endocarditis developed in both patients several weeks after they suffered repeated scorpion stings. Both patients had similar, but uncommon features: (1) the isolated organisms were unusual causes of infective endocarditis (streptococcus group G and Streptococcus milleri), (2) annular abscesses developed that required either aortic root replacement with a homograft or annular patch repair with pericardium, and (3) complete heart block developed postoperatively, requiring permanent pacemaker implantation. Both patients completed a 6-week postoperative course of antibiotic therapy and are without recurrent infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390-8879, USA.
authors.forename: Grayson H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Wheatley
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wait
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Jessen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D004698:Endocarditis, Subacute Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065008:Scorpion Stings / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D012605:Scorpions; D034364:Streptococcus milleri Group / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016896:Treatment Outcome