Bacterial endocarditis due to an unusual species of encapsulated Neisseria. Neisseria mucosa endocarditis.

Abstract

A 9-year-old boy with bacterial endocarditis due to an unusual species of Neisseria is reported. Biochemical and morphologic characteristics of this Neisseria are compared with the organisms of earlier reports. The present organism, an encapsulated Neisseria, most closely resembles N mucosa. The difficulty in distinguishing between acute rheumatic fever and bacterial endocarditis in children and the need for obtaining multiple blood cultures in these cases are emphasized.