Brucellosis complicated by aortic valve endocarditis
Skillington, P.D.; McGiffin, D.C.; Kemp, R.; Bett, J.H.; Holt, G.; Forgan-Smith, R.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine 18(7): 872-873
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-8291 PMID: 3250411 Document Number: 310876
A 30 year old veterinary surgeon developed a febrile illness with serological evidence of Brucellosis. He was known to have aortic valve disease and during the course of the illness, the clinical features of endocarditis became evident, with a vegetation visible echocardiographically on the aortic valve. Because of persisting fever despite appropriate antibiotic therapy, aortic valve replacement with a viable cryopreserved allograft aortic valve was undertaken. Organisms consistent with Brucella species were demonstrated in the excised vegetation. The patient received a six week course of antibiotics and his post-operative course was uneventful.