A Challenge of COVID—19: Associated Infective Endocarditis with <i>Streptococcus gordonii</i> in a Young Immunocompetent Patient

• Published in: Medicina
• Main Authors: Manuela Arbune, Alina-Viorica Iancu, Gabriela Lupasteanu, Mihaela-Camelia Vasile, Victorita Stefanescu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-11-01
• Subjects: COVID-19; <i>Streptococcus gordonii</i>; infectious endocarditis; oral microbiome
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/12/1298
• ISSN: 1010-660X; 1648-9144

The COVID-19 pandemic is a new challenge for the diagnosis and treatment of infective endocarditis (IE). Fever and other unspecific symptoms of coronaviral infection could be misleading or masking its manifestations. We present the case of a young patient admitted for persistent fever, profuse sweating, headache, articular pain, myalgias, and weight loss. She reported regression taste and smell disorders compared to a month earlier when diagnosed with moderate COVID-19 pneumonia. While the RT-PCR SARS-COV-2 test was positive, she was admitted to a COVID-19 ward. Investigations of febrile syndrome revealed two positive blood cultures with <i>Streptococcus gordonii</i> and the presence of vegetations on the aortic valve, supporting a certain diagnosis of IE. After six weeks of antibiotic treatment, the patient had clinical and biologic favorable outcomes. <i>Streptococcus gordonii</i> is a common commensal related to the dental biofilm, although there were no caries in our patient. The influence of COVID-19 infection on the human microbiome by modifying the virulence of some commensal germs may be a risk factor for IE pathogenesis on native valves and requires the vigilance of clinicians for suspicion of this disease.