Gentamicin/vancomycin: Lack of efficacy: case report.

A 27-year-old man with a history of IV drug use was treated for acute infective endocarditis (IE) of a tricuspid valve with gentamicin and vancomycin. Despite aggressive antibiotic treatment, the patient's condition worsened, and he developed acute respiratory failure, shock, and encephalopathy. He ultimately suffered a cardiac arrest and died. Autopsy results confirmed the diagnosis of acute IE and purulent pneumonia caused by Serratia marcescens. The cause of death was determined to be bilateral purulent pneumonia, acute IE, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). [Extracted from the article]