Infectious Endocarditis Caused By Actinobacillus Actinomycetemcomitans

Abstract

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is a very uncommon cause of infectious endocarditis. The organism was first described in 1912.¹ Thjotta and Sydnes² 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.³ Carbon dioxide is essential for the growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans. Approximately 50 cases of endocartitis due to A. actinomycetemcomitans have been reported⁴ since the first case reported in 1964.⁵ 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.