Streptococcus agalactiae infective endocarditis complicated by large vegetations at aortic valve cusps along with intracoronary extension: An autopsy case report

Streptococcus agalactiae infective endocarditis is a rare condition with high mortality owing to complications of large vegetations and systemic emboli. A 49-year-old man was found dead in his house. He had a history of hepatic cirrhosis and had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 2 years previously. He had presented with a high fever 10 days before his death. An autopsy revealed 50 mL of purulent pericardial effusion, and S. agalactiae was detected from the culture of this pericardial effusion. Two slender rope-like vegetations were present at the right aortic valve cusp and noncoronary aortic valve cusp. The vegetation at the right aortic valve cusp extended into the right coronary artery. The right coronary artery was broadly occluded by white rod-like material. The mitral valves were also affected, and the posterior papillary muscle was ruptured. Myocardial infarction was not observed. Systemic microscopic Gram-positive bacterial masses were observed in several organs. The death was attributed to acute myocardial ischemia caused by occlusive intracoronary extension of the vegetation at the proximal right coronary artery.