Abiotrophia defectiva endarteritis with infective spondylodiscitis in an adult patient with patent ductus arteriosus

BMJ Case Rep. 2017 Apr 7:2017:bcr2017219295. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2017-219295.

Abstract

Endarteritis is a major complication in patients with patent ductus arteriosus, causing significant morbidity and mortality. We report an adult patient with asymptomatic patent ductus arteriosus and endarteritis involving the main pulmonary artery and secondary infective spondylodiscitis at the L5-S1 intervertebral disc caused by Abiotrophia defectivaA. defectiva, commonly referred to as nutritionally variant streptococci, cannot be identified easily by conventional blood culture techniques from clinical specimens. Its isolation was confirmed by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. The patient was successfully managed with a combination of penicillin G and gentamicin, pending surgical repair of the patent ductus arteriosus.

Keywords: Bone and joint infections; Cardiovascular medicine; Infectious diseases.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abiotrophia / classification
  • Abiotrophia / genetics
  • Abiotrophia / isolation & purification*
  • Discitis / drug therapy
  • Discitis / microbiology*
  • Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / complications
  • Endarteritis / drug therapy
  • Endarteritis / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / diagnosis*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / microbiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Penicillin G / therapeutic use
  • Sacrum / microbiology
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA

Substances

  • Penicillin G