[Endocarditis caused by non-diphtheriae Corynebacterium. Presentation of 12 cases and review].

Background: Corynebacterium is known as a pathogen for man, particularly C. diphtheriae, while other species may cause disease and particularly cardiac valve infection, mainly in immunosuppressed patients, intravenous drug addicts, valve prosthesis carriers, patients with previous valvular disease, with congenital heart diseases or those submitted to cardiothoracic surgery.
Methods: Seven episodes of endocarditis due to Corynebacterium no diphtheriae among six patients admitted to our hospital between 1989 and 1992 are analyzed.
Results: The mitral valve was often affected with a predominance of incidence in the native valve. Four cases were cured with antibiotic therapy and in three patients surgical valve replacement was required. Recurrence of endocarditis was observed in one of the patients. One case of mycotic cerebral aneurysm and one intracranial hemorrhage are complications of note. One of the patients had undergone kidney transplantation being the first case described with endocarditis by C. no diphtheriae in this subset of patients. Transesophageal echocardiography was the principal diagnostic measure.
Conclusions: The increase in the number of immunosuppressed patients (organ transplantations and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and prosthesis carriers wake advisable that these microorganisms be taken into account as etiologic agents of infectious endocarditis.