Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:

Detailed Answer:
Hello Jerry!

Welcome on HCM!

Regarding your concern, I would like to explain that though aerococcus has been reported to be a cause of endocarditis, this is not enough for leading to such a serious complication.

First of all, the bacteria should invade the blood in order to reach the cardiac valves or other parts of endocardium and cause local infection. But, when doing so, it would inevitably lead to sepsis, thus to chills, fever, diaphoresis (extreme sweating), extreme fatigue on rest, etc.

Your actual clinical scenario doesn't support such an alternative.

Even if bacteria would reach the heart in a silent way, it would be difficult to incorporate to a normal structural endocardium. It would prefer a damaged endocardium from a previous cardiac disorder (for example a chronic valvular disorder or congenital heart disease with the presence of an intra-cardiac shunt).

But, you have previously performed already cardiac tests (and I suppose also cardiac ultrasound) and you refer that they concluded all normal.

So, from this point of view, it doesn't seem you are actually affected from endocarditis.

The major criteria for endocarditis would be:

(1) a cardiac ultrasound (echo) revealing clear evidence of endocardium infection (cardiac valve vegetation, new valvular insufficiency, associated intra-cardiac thrombus, etc);

(2) persistent infection found in repeated blood culture (not urine culture).


Coming to this point, in order to completely prevent any hypothetical systemic spreading of that bacteria,

I would advise to discuss with your attending physician on the possibility of prompt treatment of your urinary tract infection according to the appropriate antibiotics scheme concluded by the performed antibiogram.

Fortunately, aerococcus species are highly susceptible from the common antibiotics classes like penicillin, cephalosporins, vancomycin, etc.

Also some additional tests, like:

- complete blood count,
- PCR & ESR,
- blood cultures in case of high blood temperature (> 38.0° C or 100.4° F),

would be necessary to investigate a potential systemic involvement of infection.

You nave only exertion dyspnea and this may be related to causes other than the actual infection.

Nevertheless, in order to definitely clarify this issues, a new cardiac ultrasound (echo), chest X ray study and pulmonary function tests (PFT) would be necessary.

You need to discuss with your attending doctor on the above mentioned issues.

Hope to have been helpful to you!

In case of any further uncertainties, feel free to ask me again.

Kind regards,

Dr. Iliri

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Brief Answer:
You are welcome!

Detailed Answer:
I am glad to have been helpful to you!

And please don't forget to rate my answer if you wish!

In case of further uncertainties in the future you can ask me directly through the link below:

http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/Funnel?page=askDoctorDirectly&docId=69765

Wishing you good health,

Dr. Iliri

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