Isolated pulmonic valve infective endocarditis: a persistent challenge.

Isolated pulmonic valve infective endocarditis is an uncommon clinical entity. We report our experience with three patients diagnosed with pulmonic valve endocarditis from our institution. Two cases were caused by Enterococcus faecalis (one was resistant to vancomycin) and one by coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). One of the cases of isolated pulmonic valve endocarditis due to the E. faecalis was nosocomially acquired; the case of CNS pulmonic valve endocarditis was dialysis catheter related. Each patient with isolated pulmonic valve endocarditis presented with hypotension and interstitial pulmonary infiltrates. Two patients were treated with linezolid. Both vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and CNS were eliminated from blood cultures on linezolid therapy. The challenges inherent in the management of pulmonic valve endocarditis mandate the development of individual patient-specific guidelines. Copyright Urban and Vogel