Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: doi:10.22028/D291-40883
Title: Late-Onset Prosthetic Endocarditis with Paraaortic Abscess Caused by Cutibacterium acnes
Author(s): Velollari, Ornela
Reinhardt, Christian Malte
Knorr, Maike
Schnitzler, Katharina
Graafen, Dirk
Miederer, Matthias
von Bardeleben, Ralph Stephan
Münzel, Thomas
Schmidt, Kai-Helge
Giebels, Christian
Schäfers, Hans-Joachim
Hobohm, Lukas
Language: English
Title: Infectious Disease Reports
Volume: 15
Issue: 5
Publisher/Platform: MDPI
Year of Publication: 2023
Free key words: endocarditis
prosthetic aortic valve
Cutibacterium acnes
DDC notations: 610 Medicine and health
Publikation type: Journal Article
Abstract: Cutibacterium acnes, an integral component of the skin’s customary bacterial flora, represents a Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium characterized by its low virulence. Despite its low virulence, the pathogen can cause profound-seated infections as well as infections linked to medical devices. We report a case study of a prosthesis endocarditis accompanied by a paraaortic abscess caused by C. acnes, a development occurring five years prior to composite aortic root and valve replacement. At the point of admission, the patient presented with a combination of symptoms hinting at a subacute progression, such as weight loss, chest pain, and limitations of cardiopulmonary functionality. An anaerobic pathogen, namely C. acnes, was detected in a singular blood culture vial. Since first-line imaging modalities such as echocardiography did not reveal any signs of inflammation, and in the case of a suspected diagnosis for IE, did not show high pretest probability, further diagnostic imaging such as 18F-FDG PET CT was put to use. Here, a highly elevated glucose metabolism around the aortic valve ring was detected, pointing to an inflammatory process. The patient received adjusted intravenous antibiotic therapy over a course of six weeks; he then underwent surgical therapy via re-replacement of the aortic root and valve using a composite conduit. Advanced microbiological analyses, including the amplification of PCR and valve sequencing via 16S rDNA, mainly detected one pathogen: C. acnes. Delayed onset with mild symptoms and laboratory findings is characteristic of infective endocarditis by C. acnes. Due to its high rate of complications, mortality, and morbidity, an infection should not be disregarded as contamination. Recommendations from different studies underline a combination of a positive blood culture and microbiological evidence to differentiate between contamination and true infection in the case of an infection involving C. acnes. Serial blood cultures with prolonged incubation, advanced microbiological analyses, and modified Duke criteria including second-line imaging techniques should be utilized for further evaluation.
DOI of the first publication: 10.3390/idr15050059
URL of the first publication: https://doi.org/10.3390/idr15050059
Link to this record: urn:nbn:de:bsz:291--ds-408832
hdl:20.500.11880/36760
http://dx.doi.org/10.22028/D291-40883
ISSN: 2036-7449
Date of registration: 6-Nov-2023
Faculty: M - Medizinische Fakultät
Department: M - Chirurgie
Professorship: M - Prof. Dr. Hans Joachim Schäfers
Collections:SciDok - Der Wissenschaftsserver der Universität des Saarlandes

Files for this record:
File Description SizeFormat 
idr-15-00059.pdf607,92 kBAdobe PDFView/Open


This item is licensed under a Creative Commons License Creative Commons