Infective endocarditis due to Bartonella bacilliformis associated with systemic vasculitis: a case report

Abstract Infective endocarditis due to Bartonella bacilliformis is rare. A 64-year-old woman, without previous heart disease, presented with 6 weeks of fever, myalgias, and arthralgias. A systolic murmur was heard on the tricuspid area upon examination, and an echocardiogram showed endocardial lesions in the right atrium. Bartonella bacilliformis was isolated in blood cultures, defining the diagnosis of infective endocarditis using Duke's criteria. Subsequently, the patient developed clinical and laboratory features compatible with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. This case presents an uncommon complication of B. bacilliformis infection associated with the development of systemic vasculitis.

Compromiso cardiovascular en la fase aguda de la enfermedad de Carrión o bartonelosis humana: 20 años de experiencia en Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia / Cardiovascular involvement during the acute phase of Carrion's disease or human Bartonellosis: A 20-year experience in Cayetano Heredia National Hospital

Introducción: la enfermedad de Carrión es una enfermedad re-emergenteen el Perú y presenta diversas complicaciones infecciosas y no infecciosas. Objetivo: Evaluar las complicaciones cardiovasculares (CC) en la fase aguda de la enfermedadMétodos: Estudio observacional realizado en el Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia (HNCH) desde 1987-2007. Ingresaron pacientes adultos con el diagnóstico confirmado de Bartonelosis. esultados: De los 68 pacientes incluidos 52 fueron masculinos y 16 femeninos, la edad media fue 25,7 años. Ninguno tuvo enfermedad cardiovascular previa. Los principales hallazgos clínicos fueron: fiebre (99%), hepatomegalia (79%), ictericia (74%), taquicardia (74%), taquipnea 71%), soplo sistólico (68%), disnea (62%), reflujo hepatoyugular (19%) e ingurgitación yugular (15%). 64 radiografías de tórax evaluadas mostraron: 44% cardiomegalia, 20% congestión pulmonar, y 16% derramepleural. Conclusión: las CC son frecuentes en la bartonelosis. Diversos síndromes cardiovasculares fueron observados, y se asociaron a menor tiempo de enfermedad, mayor estancia ospitalaria, mayor uso de cloramfenicol (Caf) y menor de ciprofloxacina (Cip), mayor frecuencia de complicacionesinfecciosas y más admisiones a la UCI, pero no mayor mortalidad.

Introduction: Carrion's disease is considered a re-emerging disease in Peru, and it leads to several non-infectious and infectious complications.Objectives: To assess cardiovascular complications (CC) during the acute phase of this disease.Methods: An observational study was conducted at Cayetano Heredia Hospital (HNCH) from 1987 to 2007. Adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Bartonellosis were included. Results: 68 patients were included (52 males, mean age 25,7 years). No one had prior cardiovascular disease. Main clinical findings were: fever (99%), hepatomegaly (79%), jaundice (74 per cent), tachycardia (74%), tachypnea (71%), systolic murmur (68%), dyspnea (62%), hepatojugular reflux (19%) and jugular ingurgitation (15%). Sixty-four chest X-ray films showed the following findings: 44% cardiomegaly, 20% pulmonary congestion, and 16% pleural effusion. Transthoracic echocardiogram was performed in 42 patients: 38% had pericardial effusion, 19% dilated left atrium, and 17% dilated left ventricle. Thirty-six patients developed CC: congestive heart failure was found in 92%, effusive pericarditis in 44%, acute pulmonary edema in 36%, cardiogenic shock in 17%, pericardiac tamponade in 11% and myocarditis in 11%. Patients who developed CC had a shorter time of illness before admission (p= 0.01), stayed longer in the hospital (p= 0.014), used more chloramphenicol (p= 0.009) and less ciprofloxacin (p= 0.004), they developed more infectious complications (p= 0.002), and they were more frequently admitted in the ICU (p= 0.004), compared to patients who did not develop CC.Conclusion: CC are frequent in Bartonellosis. A variety of cardiovascular syndromes was observed, and they were associated to a shorter time of illness before admission, longer hospitalizations ...