The High Mortality of Aerococcus Urinae Infective Endocarditis

Abstract

The presence of Aerococcus endocarditis remains to be rare with a high mortality rate and a poor prognosis with some literature suggesting as high as 50%. We present a case involving a 43-year-old male patient with Aerococcus urinae infective endocarditis that, unfortunately, led to his death. It is thought that there was an abscess formation that may have interfered with the hearts innate conduction system leading to asystole.

Our case serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for CardioThoracic Surgery evaluation in the management of Aerococcus endocarditis, particularly in cases characterized by severe valve dysfunction and extensive vegetations. The 2015 guidelines from the American Heart Association for treating infective endocarditis suggest that early valve replacement surgery may be warranted in instances where there is evidence of congestive heart failure due to significant valve malfunction, as well as in cases involving severe valve regurgitation accompanied by large mobile vegetations exceeding 1 cm in size. We recommend that identifying Aerococcus IE warrant CardioThoracic Surgery assessment given its high mortality.