Cardiobacterium hominis, a fastidious gram-negative bacillus rarely causing endocarditis, was isolated from blood culture of a 41-year-old man with subacute bacterial endocarditis. The patient had undergone an operation of valve replacement 4 years before. Growth of the organism was only detected in 1 of 6 blood cultures after 7 days incubation. The isolate showed typical characteristics of C. hominis, i.e., tear-drop like cells and a weak positive indole reaction. The isolate was susceptible to many antimicrobial agents, but penicillin G and streptomycin therapy failed to cure the disease.
Adult ; Bacterial Infections/complications* ; Case Report ; Endocarditis, Subacute Bacterial/etiology* ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Human ; Male

Vibrio fetus was isolated from blood specimens of a subacute bacterial endocarditis patient. The 38 year old male patient was admitted to Severance Hospital in January 1970 for 11 days and again in July 1970 for 13 days. Subacute bacterial endocarditis was the major condtion. Aortic insufficiency and cholestatic hepatitis were the accessory diagnosis. The organism was isolated during the second admission. V. fetus human infection is known to be very rare, and the present case appears to be the first case in Korea. V. fetus grows very slowly with increased carbon dioxide tension which favours the growth. It is a slightly curved, S-shaped and spiral gram-negative organism. Many antibiotics, effective to gram negative organisms, inhibit the growth of the organism. V. fetus is an animal pathogen causing disease in ruminants. The patient enjoyed raw beef dishes. He could be infected with the organism by eating raw beef.
Adult ; Campylobacter fetus/isolation & purification ; Endocarditis, Subacute Bacterial/etiology ; Endocarditis, Subacute Bacterial/microbiology* ; Human ; Male ; Vibrio/isolation & purification* ; Vibrio Infections/microbiology*

Transient bacteremia associated with various endoscopic procedures is a well-documented phenomenon. Clinically important bacteremias are very rarely seen, however, this malady has significant morbidity in susceptible patients with valvular heart disease, liver cirrhosis, malignancy and immune deficiency. This bacteremia is a complication that is generally observed secondary to upper endoscopy and other associated invasive procedures in at risk patients, and the more serious manifestations include spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, septic arthritis, meningitis, brain abscess and infective endocarditis. Infective endocarditis is an extremely rare complication of gastrointestinal endoscopy, and it has been convincingly documented in only seven cases. We report a case of native valve endocarditis due to Streptococcus intermedius in a patient with valvular heart disease as a consequence of routine upper endoscopy.
Endocarditis, Subacute Bacterial/*etiology ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/*adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Streptococcal Infections/*etiology ; Streptococcus intermedius/*isolation & purification