Echocardiographic appearance of aortic valve vegetations in bacterial endocarditis due to actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

Abstract

This report describes the echocardiographic features seen in a case of bacterial endocarditis due to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. The echocardiogram demonstrated large, bulky clusters of echoes filling the aortic root in diastole which extended to the subvalvular and supravalvular areas. The echocardiographic features mimicked those described in cases of Candida endocarditis. The morphologic appearance of vegetations at surgery correlated with the echocardiographic findings.