Aerococcus urinae infective endocarditis in a healthy young man: a case report

Abstract

BackgroundAerococcus urinae infection is a rare clinical condition that causes urinary tract infections in older individuals. Infective endocarditis (IE) caused by A. urinae in healthy young men is extremely rare; however, the mortality rates of IE caused by A.urinae are high if appropriate surgical treatment is not performed.Case presentationA 39-year-old healthy man was admitted to our hospital with complaints of fever, cough, and dyspnea. Blood cultures revealed gram-positive cocci, and echocardiography revealed a 20 × 12-mm vegetation on the aortic valve and perforation of the anterior mitral valve leaflet. He was diagnosed with IE and underwent aortic valve replacement and mitral valve repair after removal of the infective focus. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to identify A. urinae. The patient was discharged in good health after 6 weeks of ampicillin/sulbactam therapy.ConclusionPrompt diagnosis and surgical removal of infectious foci with optimal antibacterial therapy are critical to protect patients from rare and potentially fatal IE caused by A. urinae.