CONVENTIONAL VIRAL CULTURES AND SHELL VIAL ASSAY FOR DIAGNOSIS OF APPARENTLY CULTURE-NEGATIVE COXIELLA-BURNETII ENDOCARDITIS

A patient with culture-negative endocarditis was diagnosed with Q feve r endocarditis based on the results of serological tests and positive leukocyte cultures obtained using conventional viral cultures and the shell vial technique. This case report suggests that isolation of Coxi ella burnetii from blood may allow better diagnostic and therapeutical evaluation of patients with Q fever endocarditis. The use of both con ventional and shell vial viral cultures is recommended for the isolati on of Coxiella burnetii from the blood of patients with apparently cul ture-negative endocarditis.