Staphylococcus capitis endocarditis due to a transvenous endocardial pacemaker infection: Case report and review of Staphylococcus capitis endocarditis

Lawrence A. Cone, Eric M. Sontz, Joseph W. Wilson, S.N. Mitruka
2005 International Journal of Infectious Diseases  
Objectives: Newer microbiologic methods to determine the species of coagulasenegative staphylococci (CoNS) have evolved which have shown that most endocarditis due to CoNS is caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis, and far fewer by Staphylococcus warneri and Staphylococcus lugdunensis. Methods: The recent opportunity to successfully treat a patient with methicillinresistant Staphylococcus capitis endocarditis secondary to an infected transvenous pacemaker led to a review of the literature
more » ... to S. capitis endocarditis. Results: Thirteen previously recorded patients were identified. Twelve (86%) patients were male. Ten had endocarditis associated with a native valve, two with prosthetic valves and one with a transvenous pacemaker. Mortality was low in all 14 cases (including this case report) with only two deaths; one in a patient with a native valve and the other with a prosthetic valve. Four of the isolates were methicillin resistant but sensitive to vancomycin, which was used in the treatment of eight patients. Those patients with prosthetic cardiac devices appear to do better when the devices are surgically removed.
doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2004.08.004 pmid:16085441 fatcat:gegqjkre4vc67etljmxntbgjju