The Long CoN(S): A Case of Staphylococcus lugdunensis Endocarditis With Cerebral and Coronary Embolism

Abstract

Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a coagulase-negative staphylococcus, which in humans can cause virulent infections frequently attributable to Staphylococcus aureus including superficial skin/soft tissue infections, infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis and endophthalmitis. A 61-year-old male with history of recent fixation of C1-C2 neck fracture, presented with sudden onset of right-sided weakness and fever. Examination revealed dense hemiplegia with UMN facial palsy of right side, and a pan-systolic murmur in the mitral area, radiating to the axilla. He had an elevated troponin-I of 18.8 ng/mL with right bundle branch block on EKG. Echocardiogram revealed mobile vegetation on the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve with ejection fraction of 55% and no regional wall motion abnormality. He continued to have persistent high-grade fevers in spite of appropriate antibiotic therapy and blood cultures were persistently positive for S. lugdunensis for 5 days. He developed weakness of his left side after 2 weeks of hospital admission and MRA revealed left carotid dissection and complete occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery distal to the M1 segment which was embolic in nature. The frequency of S. lugdunensis infection is underappreciated and biofilm formation plays a major role in the pathogenesis. This is the first reported case of S. lugdunensis endocarditis complicated by NSTEMI from coronary embolism and simultaneous stroke from cerebral embolism. Due to the early, frequent and fatal complications from S. lugdunensis bacteremia, we might have to consider early surgical intervention in the absence of class I or IIa recommendation. J Med Cases. 2014;5(10):535-537 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc1903w