Am. Saadeh et al., INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS AND OCCULT SPLENIC ABSCESS CAUSED BY BRUCELLA-MELITENSIS INFECTION - A CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE, Acta cardiologica, 51(3), 1996, pp. 279-285
This report describes a patient with prosthetic aortic valve endocardi
tis caused by Brucella melitensis infection with an initial relapse af
ter apparent recovery due to associated occult splenic abscess. In spi
te of a prolonged period of recovery (6 months) achieved with splenect
omy and antibrucella antimicrobial therapy, a second relapse occurred
and cure was achieved after replacement of the infected prosthetic val
ve and prolonged courses of antibrucella antimicrobial therapy. There
is controversy on the optimal therapy of such cases, but this report s
uggests that successful management requires a combination of medical a
nd early surgical therapy.