Brucella endocarditis complicated by acute glomerulonephritis--early surgical intervention.

Brucellosis, a zoonotic disease, occurs most frequently in areas of the Middle East and Mediterranean-bordering countries. Endocarditis, which occurs in less than 2% of all cases of brucellosis, accounts for most brucellosis-related deaths. The patient described here had Brucella endocarditis in a bicuspid aortic valve complicated by acute glomerulonephritis, which was successfully treated with urgent aortic valve replacement and intensive medical therapy. The diagnosis was made initially by a high agglutination titer and later confirmed with positive blood culture.