Dual valve Achromobacter endocarditis in a long-term acute care unit: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an opportunistic, gram-negative organism that primarily affects immunocompromised individuals or those with indwelling medical devices. Although generally considered of low virulence, it has been increasingly recognized as a cause of serious infections, including infective endocarditis (IE), which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and often poses therapeutic challenges. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 69-year-old Middle Eastern woman with a complex medical history significant for coronary artery bypass grafting, end-stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis via a tunneled catheter, chronic respiratory failure secondary to tracheomalacia, atrial fibrillation, and persistent vegetative state following a prior cardiac arrest. The patient was transferred from the intensive care unit to a long-term acute care facility and subsequently developed recurrent polymicrobial bacteremia. Blood cultures repeatedly isolated Achromobacter xylosoxidans despite targeted antimicrobial therapy. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a small mobile vegetation on the posterior mitral valve leaflet associated with mild-to-moderate mitral regurgitation. A follow-up study approximately 1 month later demonstrated new aortic valve involvement, consistent with disease progression. Despite antimicrobial therapy guided by susceptibility testing and catheter exchange, persistent bacteremia continued. Surgical intervention was deemed not feasible due to the patient's extreme frailty and high operative risk. During her clinical course, she developed ventilator-associated pneumonia secondary to multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, progressed to septic shock with lactic acidosis, and ultimately suffered a bradycardic arrest. DISCUSSION: Achromobacter xylosoxidans endocarditis is a rare condition that predominantly affects immunocompromised individuals or those with intravascular devices. Effective management is challenging due to the organism's intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance, the frequent persistence of bacteremia, and the potential requirement for surgical intervention. In patients for whom surgery is not a viable option, outcomes can be poor despite prolonged, targeted antimicrobial therapy. CONCLUSION: This case underscores the challenges of managing native valve infective endocarditis caused by Achromobacter xylosoxidans in medically fragile patients. The disease may progress despite appropriate antimicrobial therapy, particularly when surgical intervention is not feasible. Therefore, multidisciplinary evaluation and individualized management are essential in such high-risk cases.