Gemella Species Endocarditis in a Child

Organisms of the genus Gemella can, on occasion, cause serious systemic illness. The present paper reports a successfully treated case of endocarditis in a 12-year-old girl with congenital heart disease caused by species of Gemella. The child presented with cough, fatigue and decreased appetite with...

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Main Authors: Laura K Purcell, John P Finley, Robert Chen, Marguerite Lovgren, Scott A Halperin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2001-01-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2001/960734
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author Laura K Purcell
John P Finley
Robert Chen
Marguerite Lovgren
Scott A Halperin
author_facet Laura K Purcell
John P Finley
Robert Chen
Marguerite Lovgren
Scott A Halperin
author_sort Laura K Purcell
collection DOAJ
description Organisms of the genus Gemella can, on occasion, cause serious systemic illness. The present paper reports a successfully treated case of endocarditis in a 12-year-old girl with congenital heart disease caused by species of Gemella. The child presented with cough, fatigue and decreased appetite without fever. Echocardiogram demonstrated marked mitral insufficiency with flail posterior mitral valve leaflet, mitral valve vegetations, and an enlarged left atrium and ventricle. While being treated with vancomycin, the child initially had persistent bacteremia, which resolved after the addition of gentamycin; the course of therapy was completed with penicillin G and gentamycin once antimicrobial susceptibilities were available. Attempts to identify the species of Gemella were unsuccessful in the local laboratory, and at reference laboratories in Canada and the United States. The isolate is undergoing further evaluation to determine its taxonomic status.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1180-2332
language English
publishDate 2001-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
spelling doaj-art-3b87f48449844f3da5567ece801066ce2025-08-20T03:55:41ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Infectious Diseases1180-23322001-01-0112531732010.1155/2001/960734Gemella Species Endocarditis in a ChildLaura K Purcell0John P Finley1Robert Chen2Marguerite Lovgren3Scott A Halperin4Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University and the IWK Grace Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University and the IWK Grace Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University and the IWK Grace Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaNational Centre for Streptococcus, Provincial Laboratory of Public Health for Northern Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University and the IWK Grace Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaOrganisms of the genus Gemella can, on occasion, cause serious systemic illness. The present paper reports a successfully treated case of endocarditis in a 12-year-old girl with congenital heart disease caused by species of Gemella. The child presented with cough, fatigue and decreased appetite without fever. Echocardiogram demonstrated marked mitral insufficiency with flail posterior mitral valve leaflet, mitral valve vegetations, and an enlarged left atrium and ventricle. While being treated with vancomycin, the child initially had persistent bacteremia, which resolved after the addition of gentamycin; the course of therapy was completed with penicillin G and gentamycin once antimicrobial susceptibilities were available. Attempts to identify the species of Gemella were unsuccessful in the local laboratory, and at reference laboratories in Canada and the United States. The isolate is undergoing further evaluation to determine its taxonomic status.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2001/960734
spellingShingle Laura K Purcell
John P Finley
Robert Chen
Marguerite Lovgren
Scott A Halperin
Gemella Species Endocarditis in a Child
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
title Gemella Species Endocarditis in a Child
title_full Gemella Species Endocarditis in a Child
title_fullStr Gemella Species Endocarditis in a Child
title_full_unstemmed Gemella Species Endocarditis in a Child
title_short Gemella Species Endocarditis in a Child
title_sort gemella species endocarditis in a child
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2001/960734
work_keys_str_mv AT laurakpurcell gemellaspeciesendocarditisinachild
AT johnpfinley gemellaspeciesendocarditisinachild
AT robertchen gemellaspeciesendocarditisinachild
AT margueritelovgren gemellaspeciesendocarditisinachild
AT scottahalperin gemellaspeciesendocarditisinachild