A Case Report of Brucellosis-Associated Infective Endocarditis

Abstract

Brucellosis is a prevalent zoonotic infection that can be relatively well managed and tolerated if appropriate treatment is initiated. Unfortunately, likely secondary to decreased awareness and vague symptoms, the diagnosis can be easily missed leading to worsening complications that severely increase the mortality rate. We present a case of a 25-year-old female who presented from a rural setting with a diagnosis of brucellosis, which was delayed. She ultimately developed infective endocarditis with cardiac vegetations on imaging. Despite improvement on antibiotics and reduction in size of cardiac vegetation, she suffered a fatal cardiac arrest before undergoing surgical intervention. Better awareness regarding hygiene and sanitary food handling should be encouraged, especially in underdeveloped rural areas, to help prevent infection. More studies need to be performed to help better identify symptoms coupled with maintaining a high index of suspicion so as to expedite diagnosis, treatment, management and hopefully prevent the progression of disease and worsening complications.

Keywords: brucellosis; endocarditis; unpasteurized dairy products; valvular vegetation; veterinarians.

Figure 1. Cardiomegaly and a calcified foci in the left upper zone