Abstract
We report the first case of Engyodontium album bioprosthetic valve endocarditis in a 44-year-old male with a history of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. There is only one other report of Engyodontium album as a human pathogen. The present case supports the increased incidence of fungal endocarditis especially in patients receiving immunotherapy.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Dr Frank J. Bia, professor (emeritus) of Yale University School of Medicine, for his careful review of this manuscript.
We also acknowledge Cynthia Stewart, at the Bridgeport Hospital Laboratory for the initial isolation of the fungus, and Elizabeth Thompson of the Fungus Testing Laboratory at the University of Texas at San Antonio for further work on this isolate.
Brian L. Wickes is supported by grant # PR054228 from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command, Office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.
This paper was first published online on Early Online on 30 November 2010.