Successful Conservative Management of Complicated <i>Brucella</i> Endocarditis

<i>Brucella</i> endocarditis (BE) is a rare but life-threatening complication of brucellosis and remains the principal cause of disease-related mortality. Prosthetic-valve involvement is exceptionally uncommon and is usually managed with combined medical and surgical therapy because of the high risk of abscess formation and embolic complications. We report a 51-year-old man with a bioprosthetic aortic valve who presented with recurrent fever, weight loss, and acute neurological deficits following previously treated, culture-confirmed brucellosis related to consumption of unpasteurized goat milk. Diagnostic evaluation revealed an embolic ischemic stroke, prosthetic-valve vegetation complicated by a paravalvular aortic-root abscess, rising <i>Brucella melitensis</i> serological titers despite negative blood cultures, and concomitant brucellar spondylitis. A diagnosis of prosthetic-valve BE with systemic dissemination was established. Although urgent surgical intervention was recommended, the patient declined surgery and was treated conservatively with prolonged combination antimicrobial therapy. The outcome was favorable, with complete clinical recovery, significant neurological improvement, normalization of inflammatory markers, and complete echocardiographic resolution of vegetation and abscess while preserving ventricular function. This case supports the potential role of individualized conservative management in selected patients with complicated BE.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Medical Cases
Published
2026-03-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc5283
Primary Topic
Brucella: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Successful Conservative Management of Complicated Brucella Endocarditis

Mashael M. Alhajri
Journal of Medical Cases
Brucella: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment
article

Successful Conservative Management of Complicated Brucella Endocarditis

Mashael M. Alhajri
article en

Abstract

<i>Brucella</i> endocarditis (BE) is a rare but life-threatening complication of brucellosis and remains the principal cause of disease-related mortality. Prosthetic-valve involvement is exceptionally uncommon and is usually managed with combined medical and surgical therapy because of the high risk of abscess formation and embolic complications. We report a 51-year-old man with a bioprosthetic aortic valve who presented with recurrent fever, weight loss, and acute neurological deficits following previously treated, culture-confirmed brucellosis related to consumption of unpasteurized goat milk. Diagnostic evaluation revealed an embolic ischemic stroke, prosthetic-valve vegetation complicated by a paravalvular aortic-root abscess, rising <i>Brucella melitensis</i> serological titers despite negative blood cultures, and concomitant brucellar spondylitis. A diagnosis of prosthetic-valve BE with systemic dissemination was established. Although urgent surgical intervention was recommended, the patient declined surgery and was treated conservatively with prolonged combination antimicrobial therapy. The outcome was favorable, with complete clinical recovery, significant neurological improvement, normalization of inflammatory markers, and complete echocardiographic resolution of vegetation and abscess while preserving ventricular function. This case supports the potential role of individualized conservative management in selected patients with complicated BE.

Journal of Medical CasesVol. 17(4)
King Fahd Hospital of the University (SA)
Zero hunger
Openalex Percentile: Top 34%
Brucella: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.