Infectious endocarditis caused by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

Abstract

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is a very uncommon cause of infectious endocarditis. The organism was first described in 1912. Thjotta and Sydnes reported its isolation in pure culture from a long standing abscess which had developed after tooth extraction. Subsequently this organism was found to be part of the normal flora, and the organism was defined as a slow growing, fastidious gram negative bacillus. Carbon dioxide is essential for the growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans. Approximately 50 cases of endocarditis due to A. actinomycetemcomitans have been reported since the first case reported in 1964. The purpose of this report is to document a case of endocarditis due to A. actinomycetemcomitans and to stress the value of the echocardiogram in the assessment of patients with endocarditis.