Prosthetic ball valve endocarditis due to Gemella species.

A case is presented of endocarditis that was affecting a prosthetic ball valve (Starr-Edwards) and which was caused by Gemella species. A 57-year-old man was admitted with a 3-day history of abdominal pain with fever. At the time of admission, his temperature was 37.7 degrees C and laboratory tests showed elevated inflammatory parameters and an increased neutrophil count. However, transthoracic echocardiogram showed no vegetation. During hospitalization, Gemella spp. were detected by blood culture, and a transesophageal echocardiogram showed vegetation on the prosthetic valve. He was treated with intravenous ampicillin and astromycin, and also underwent valve replacement. This is the first case in Japan of infective endocarditis of a prosthetic valve due to Gemella spp.