Enterococcus gallinarum causing native valve endocarditis and aorto-atrial fistula: A case report and literature review

摘要

E. gallinarum endocarditis on native heart valves is rare, with a Medline database search of the literature revealing only two reports.1-2 Enterococci are gram-positive anaerobic bacteria and are the third most common cause of native valve endocarditis, accounting for 5-20% of cases.3 E. faecalis and ￡. faecium are the most frequently isolated organisms (90% of clinical isolates).3 E. gallinarum infection is only found in 1% of enterococcal isolates identified in clinical specimens. Despite being rare, E. gallinarum has the potential to cause serious invasive infections including bacteremia and endocarditis, with most cases occurring in im-munocompromised hosts or those with chronic illness such as diabetes, solid organ transplant, malignancy, or urinary tract disorders.4 Mortality rates associated with enterococcal bacteremia are high, with death occurring in 40-50% of cases of enterococcal sepsis.