AN UNCOMMON CAUSE OF INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS IN A HEALTHY 11-YEAR-OLDGIRL WITH NATIVE HEART VALVE

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare disease in children, and it can result in significant morbidity and mortality. The epidemiology of infective endocarditis in children has shifted in recent years with less rheumatic heart disease, more congenital heart disease survival, and increased use of central venous catheters in children with chronic illness. Less commonly, infective endocarditis occurs in children with no preexisting cardiac disease or other known risk factors (1).IE due to anaerobic bacteria is an uncommon event, accounting for 2 16% of all cases of IE over the past three decades (2).We present the case of an 11-year-old girl with no known cardiac disease or significant risk factors, who was diagnosed with infective endocarditis according to the modified Duke criteria. Her clinical presentation included a prolonged fever lasting 2.5 months, along with chest pain and easy fatiguability. Blood cultures identified Anaerococcus prevoti, a rare pathogen with limited available data and research.This case underscores the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for infective endocarditis in children with prolonged fever, even in the absence of obvious sources of infection or predisposing factors such as cardiac anomalies. Prompt diagnosis is essential for effective treatment and improved patient outcomes.