Infective endocarditis caused by Cardiobacterium hominis endocarditis: A case report and review of the literature

Background: While it has been increasing cases of C. hominis endocarditis in the past decades due to advances of diagnostic methods, the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of IE caused by C. hominis is still unknown.

Case presentation: A 62-year old man was admitted to our institute with fever, anorexia and general fatigue for the preceding one month. He had a past medical history of both aortic and mitral valves replacement due to cardiac diseases. He was diagnosed as IE caused by C. hominis according to the modified duke criteria. The patient received 2 weeks of combination therapy of intravenous ceftriaxone (CTRX) 2g and gentamycin 180mg daily followed by 4 weeks CTRX 2g daily alone. Oral moxifloxacin 400mg once daily was given for an additional 4 weeks. After the antibiotic therapy was discontinued, disease recurrence was not observed. We reviewed previously reported C. hominis IE cases in 60 publications including ours. Of 73 patients enrolled, 53 were male, the mean age was 52 years. The most common risk factor of IE was past history of cardiac diseases in 44/73 (60%). As for antibiotics initially prescribed, third-generation cephalosporins was most frequently used in 28/69 (41%). While the cure rate was 67/73 (93%), 31/73 patients (43%) received a surgical intervention. Embolic lesions to the central nervous system and vertebrae were seen in 16/72 (22%) and 5/72 (7%).

Conclusion: IE caused by C. hominis has a favorable prognosis, showing the cure rate of 93%. Physicians should recognize the possible occurrence of emboli among IE patients.