Lactobacillus endocarditis in a healthy patient with probiotic use

Swetha Pasala; Lillian Singer; Tamoore Arshad; Kenneth Roach

doi:10.1016/j.idcr.2020.e00915

Lactobacillus endocarditis in a healthy patient with probiotic use

IDCases. 2020 Jul 17:22:e00915. doi: 10.1016/j.idcr.2020.e00915. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Swetha Pasala¹, Lillian Singer², Tamoore Arshad¹, Kenneth Roach¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, Inova Fairfax Hospital, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA, 20042, USA.
² VCU School of Medicine Inova Campus, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA, 20042, USA.

Abstract

Lactobacilli are commensal anaerobic gram-positive rod organisms that are normal flora of the oral, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal tracts. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is now commonly found in probiotics. They are rarely pathogenic, but occasional cases of bacteremia and associated endocarditis have been noted in patients with pre-disposing factors. We describe a case of Lactobacillus endocarditis in an otherwise healthy patient with probiotic use and gingival laceration and present an accompanying discussion of the potential association of probiotic formulations containing lactobacilli and systemic infection.

Keywords: Bacteremia; Dental; Endocarditis; Lactobacillus; Probiotic.

Publication types

Case Reports