Three cases of destructive native valve endocarditis caused byStaphylococcus lugdunensis.

Described here are three cases of acute native valve endocarditis due to the coagulase-negative pathogenStaphylococcus lugdunensiswith serious complications. Two of the three patients died despite optimal antibiotic therapy and cardiovascular surgery. These cases demonstrate the aggressive nature ofS. lugdunensisand emphasize the importance of identifying coagulase-negative staphylococci to the species level and not considering the isolation ofS. lugdunensisfrom normally sterile body fluids as contamination. On the contrary, when this organism is found in patients with endocarditis, early surgery should be considered. The possibility that this organism could be misidentified asS. aureusbecause of ‘autocoagulation’ and that commercial identification systems may misidentify it asS. haemolyticus,S. hominisorS. warnerishould also be remembered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]