Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis Due to Small-Colony Staphylococcal Variants

Although Staphylococcus epidermidis is a major cause of prosthetic valve endocarditis, little is known about the pathogenesis of this disease. In one case described herein, small-colony variant forms of S. epidermidis were isolated from clinical specimens obtained from a patient with prosthetic valv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Reviews of infectious diseases 1987-11, Vol.9 (6), p.1168-1174
Main Authors: BADDOUR, L. M, CHRISTENSEN, G. D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abscesses
Animal models
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Cardiology. Vascular system
Disease Models, Animal
Endocardial and cardiac valvular diseases
Endocarditis
Endocarditis, Bacterial - etiology
Heart
Heart Valve Prosthesis - adverse effects
Humans
Hypothesis
Infections
Insect colonies
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Mortality
Prosthetic heart valves
Rats
Staphylococcal Infections - etiology
Staphylococcus
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Vegetation
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Summary:Although Staphylococcus epidermidis is a major cause of prosthetic valve endocarditis, little is known about the pathogenesis of this disease. In one case described herein, small-colony variant forms of S. epidermidis were isolated from clinical specimens obtained from a patient with prosthetic valve endocarditis. Data from the rat model of experimental endocarditis provide further evidence that small-colony variants may be operative in the production of prosthetic valve infection. Moreover, a review of the literature indicates that small-colony variants could account for the subtle clinical course after prolonged dormant infection that characterizes S. epidermidis prosthetic valve endocarditis. It is therefore hypothesized that small-colony variants of S. epidermidis may play a role in the pathogenesis of prosthetic valve endocarditis.
ISSN:0162-0886