Native-valve endocarditis caused by Mycobacterium chelonae, misidentified as polymicrobial gram-positive bacillus infection

J Infect Chemother. 2013 Aug;19(4):754-6. doi: 10.1007/s10156-012-0492-6. Epub 2012 Oct 10.

Abstract

Mycobacterium chelonae, a species of rapidly growing mycobacteria, may grow in routine blood culture media and stain as gram-positive bacilli, which may cause diagnostic confusion. A patient with native-valve endocarditis caused by M. chelonae, which was misidentified as various gram-positive bacilli, is presented.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacillus / isolation & purification
  • Bacteriological Techniques
  • Diagnostic Errors*
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / diagnosis*
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / diagnosis*
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / microbiology
  • Mycobacterium chelonae / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents