title: [One case with Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae endocarditis].
abstract: We report case of a 67-year-old alcoholic fisherman who developed infective endocarditis caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. The initial manifestations were fever and back pain of approximately three months' duration. Auscultation of the heart revealed a loud systolic murmur at the apex and a diastolic murmur over the aortic valve area. Echocardiographic studies showed vegetations on both the aortic valve and mitral valve. Blood cultures grew Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, and it was sensitive to aminobenzyl penicillin. No other bacteria grew aut. A diagnosis of infective endocarditis caused by the Erysipelothnx rhusiopatniae was made, and the patient was treated with aminobenzyl penicillin 12g/day for 6 weeks. His clinical course was complicated by heart failure, multiple cerebral embolism, and renal infarctions. However, he recovered without valve replacement. Although the exact route of infection remains unknown, erosions of the skin, of his palms at the time of tho initial examination appeared to be one possible source of the systemic infection in this case. The serotype of the bacteria was Ib. To our knowledge this is the first case of serotyping of bacterium that caused endocarditis in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Inernal Medicine, Asahi General Hospital.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kodera
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ooe
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: Naohiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Yoshitika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arakawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004889:Erysipelothrix Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male