Diagnosis at first glance: hairy black colonies in resected prosthetic aortic valve

(clinical microbiology and infection volume 6 - 2000, number 11: )

A 53-year-old woman who had a history of acute rheumatic fever in her adolescence was admitted to hospital for aortic valve replacement. In the postoperative period no complications developed and shewas discharged 11 days later. Three months later, she was re-admitted with high fever (39Cº axillary), malaise and a high white blood count (16000/mm3). Initial microbiological and radiological evaluations were uneventful. A transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination howed an aneurysmatic degeneration on the aortic wall, behind the rosthetic valve. Reoperation was decided upon, and resected material was sent to our microbiology and pathology laboratories