Bordetella holmesii: a rare cause of bacterial endocarditis in a post-splenectomy patient.
We present a rare case of endocarditis in a 33-year-old woman with a splenectomy. The patient presented with meningeal symptoms and was diagnosed with endocarditis on the medical admissions unit using a portable echocardiography machine. Bordetella holmesii was cultured from the blood on admission and the patient underwent subsequent aortic valve replacement. We discuss the importance of echo skills within the specialty of acute medicine and the benefits of swift senior review at the front door. We emphasise the guidelines on antibiotic prophylaxis for the post-splenectomy patient as well as discuss the pathogen B holmesii and its growing association of septicaemia in asplenic individuals.
City Hospital, Acute Medicine, Birmingham, UK. sarbc@hotmail.com
Sarbjit
S
Clare
Tariq
T
Ahmed
Rohit
R
Singh
Stephen
S
Gough
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001884:Bordetella / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001885:Bordetella Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D013156:Splenectomy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002439:Cefotaxime