Providencia stuartii Aortic Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis with Formation of Paravalvular Pseudoaneurysm

Abstract

Infective endocarditis (IE) is characterized by high morbidity and mortality. Providencia stuartii infections are very rare and mainly acquired in a hospital setting, being isolated primarily in urine cultures of patients with longterm urinary catheters; rarely causing bacteremia and endocarditis. The authors present a case of a 74-year-old male patient with vascular risk factors and a biological aortic prosthetic valve hospitalized for urosepsis with P. stuartii bacteremia. He underwent antibiotic susceptibility-guided therapy, resulting in both negative urine and blood cultures. However, the patient was later re-admitted due to persistent P. stuartii urosepsis and bacteremia. A transesophageal echocardiogram revealed endocarditis of the prosthetic aortic valve, complicated with extensive aortic root pseudoaneurysm, fistulized into the left atrium. Given the co-comorbidities and extent of the disease, he was not a candidate for surgical intervention and therefore maintained broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. Unfortunately, the patient didn’t respond to best medical treatment and died of septic shock.