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Abstract Background Most patients with infectious endocarditis (IE) due to Bartonella henselae have a history of exposure to cats and pre-existing heart valve lesions. To date, none of the reported patients have had a history of typical cat scratch disease (CSD) which is also a manifestation of infection with B. henselae. Case presentation Here we report the case of a patient who had CSD and six months later developed IE of the mitral valve caused by B. henselae. Conclusion Based on this unique case, we speculate that CSD represents the primary-infection of B. henselae and that IE follows in patients with heart valve lesions.

Most of the species from the genus Kocuria are environmental or commensals of mammalian skin and oral bacteria, and had rarely been associated with human infection. However, recent reports showed an increase of the clinical role of these bacteria in human infectious diseases. Most of the cases occurred in hospitals and were device related. They included bacteremia, peritonitis, abscess, endocarditis and ocular infection. We here describe the main characteristics and the draft genome of Kocuria massiliensis sp. nov., strain P3598T (CSURP3598), a new Kocuria species that caused foot osteomyelitis in a 78-year-old woman. The improvement of diagnostic tools for the identification of bacteria in microbiological laboratories, including MALDI-TOF MS and 16S rRNA sequencing, largely contributed to the emergence and to the expansion of the clinical spectrum of infections caused by Kocuria spp. To the best of our knowledge, we report here the first case of osteomyelitis with a bacterial species from the genus Kocuria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter to the editor about Rickettsia slovaca infection.

Background. Rickettsia sibirica mongolotimonae has been found in Hyalomma ticks in Inner Mongolia (in China) and Niger and in humans in France and South Africa. To date, only 3 cases of human infection have been reported. Methods. Patients received a diagnosis of R. sibirica mongolotimonae infection on the basis of culture zBackground. Rickettsia sibirica mongolotimonae has been found in Hyalomma ticks in Inner Mongolia (in China) and Niger and in humans in France and South Africa. To date, only 3 cases of human infection have been reported. Methods. Patients received a diagnosis of R. sibirica mongolotimonae infection on the basis of culture and/or PCR results plus serological test results. Results. From January 2000 to June 2004, R. sibirica mongolotimonae infection was diagnosed in 7 patients. In 3 patients, the bacterium was cultivated from the inoculation eschar. The other 4 patients had cases that were diagnosed with use of PCR of samples obtained from the eschar (2 patients) or blood (2 patients), plus specific Western blot before (2 patients) and after (2 patients) cross-adsorption. The clinical presentation included fever (temperature, >38.5°C), a maculopapular rash, and ⩾ 1 inoculation eschar in 6 patients, enlarged regional lymph nodes in 4 patients, and lymphangitis in 3 patients. On the basis of the study of 9 cases, R. sibirica mongolotimonae infection differed from other tick-borne rickettsioses in the Mediterranean area in the following ways: it involved a specific incidence in the spring, the presence of 2 eschars in 2 (22%) of the patients, the presence of a draining lymph node in 5 (55%) of the patients, and lymphangitis expanding from the inoculation eschar to the draining node in 4 (44%) of the patients. The most recent patient in our series received a clinical diagnosis on the basis of such findings. All patients recovered without any sequelae. Conclusions. We propose that this new rickettsiosis be named "lymphangitis-associated rickettsiosis." Lymphangitis-associated rickettsiosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of tick-borne rickettsioses in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Species definition in Rickettsia species is subject to conettsia exhibits serotypic and ecological specificities and/or PCR results plus serological test results. Results. From January 2000 to June 2004, R. sibirica mongolotimonae infection was diagnosed in 7 patients. In 3 patients, the bacterium was cultivated from the inoculation eschar. The other 4 patients had cases that were diagnosed with use of PCR of samples obtained from the eschar (2 patients) or blood (2 patients), plus specific Western blot before (2 patients) and after (2 patients) cross-adsorption. The clinical presentation included fever (temperature, >38.5°C), a maculopapular rash, and ⩾ 1 inoculation eschar in 6 patients, enlarged regional lymph nodes in 4 patients, and lymphangitis in 3 patients. On the basis of the study of 9 cases, R. sibirica mongolotimonae infection differed from other tick-borne rickettsioses in the Mediterranean area in the following ways: it involved a specific incidence in the spring, the presence of 2 eschars in 2 (22%) of the patients, the presence of a draining lymph node in 5 (55%) of the patients, and lymphangitis expanding from the inoculation eschar to the draining node in 4 (44%) of the patients. The most recent patient in our series received a clinical diagnosis on the basis of such findings. All patients recovered without any sequelae. Conclusions. We propose that this new rickettsiosis be named "lymphangitis-associated rickettsiosis." Lym- phangitis-associated rickettsiosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of tick-borne rickettsioses in Europe, Africa, and Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of infectious endocarditis attributable to Legionella longbeachae. L. longbeachae is usually associated with lung infections. It is commonly found in composted waste wood products. L. longbeachae should be regarded as an agent of infectious endocarditis, notably in the context of gardening involving handling of potting soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the case of a 56-year-old man in southern France who was diagnosed with Bartonella henselae prosthetic valve endocarditis. Moderate anemia, an elevated C-reactive protein level, and polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia were seen in laboratory findings. He was treated with intravenous antimicrobial drugs because infectious endocarditis was suspected. Use of fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) is also discussed.

Background: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) is commonly used for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE), but its prognostic value remains unknown.Objectives: This study sought to assess the prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) and native valve endocarditis (NVE).Methods: This study prospectively included 173 consecutive patients (109 PVE and 64 NVE) with definite left-sided IE who had an 18F-FDG PET/CT and were followed-up for 1 year. The primary endpoint was a composite of major cardiac events: death, recurrence of IE, acute cardiac failure, nonscheduled hospitalization for cardiovascular indication, and new embolic event.Results: 18F-FDG PET/CT was positive in 100 (58%) patients, 83% (n = 90 of 109) in the PVE, and 16% (n = 10 of 64) in the NVE group. At a mean follow-up of 225 days (interquartile range: 199 to 251 days), the primary endpoint occurred in 94 (54%) patients: 63 (58%) in the PVE group and 31 (48%) in the NVE group. In the PVE group, positive 18F-FDG PET/CT was significantly associated with a higher rate of primary endpoint (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1 to 6.7; p = 0.04). Moderate to intense 18F-FDG valvular uptake was also associated with worse outcome (HR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.3 to 4.5; p = 0.03) and to new embolic events in PVE (HR: 7.5; 95% CI: 1.24 to 45.2; p = 0.03) and in NVE (HR: 8.8; 95% CI: 1.1 to 69.5; p = 0.02). In the NVE group, 18F-FDG PET/CT was not associated with occurrence of the primary endpoint CONCLUSIONS: In addition to its good diagnostic performance, 18F-FDG PET/CT is predictive of major cardiac events in PVE and new embolic events within the first year following IE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pericarditis. Chest pain is the main symptom of pericarditis. The advent of echocardiography simplifies the definition of pericarditis with effusion, which is now a clinical entity. It is often diagnosed on radiological exams (ultrasound, CT scan, MRI) carried out in the exploration of other pathologies. Many etiologies are associated with pericarditis, however none accounts for more than 10% of cases and in 50-80% of cases none etiology is not found. Currently the increase in the number of percutaneous cardiac surgery, cardiac surgery and the increasing incidence of HIV modified the etiologies distribution. The biological tests depend on the medical team in charge of the patient. Long-term follow-up of idiopathic pericarditis is essential to improve the knowledge and the management of these patients., Competing Interests: F. Gouriet déclare n’avoir aucun lien d’intérêts. P.-Y. Levy déclare avoir une participation financière dans le capital de l’entreprise POCRAMÉ.

Brevibacterium massiliense infection in man is rare. We report here the second case with isolation of B. massiliense in human. This micro-organism requires specific laboratory investigations such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing for accurate species identification. The clinical outcome was favorable.