A Guinea Pig Model for Q Fever Endocarditis

Chronic Q fever endocarditis.

Eight patients with chronic Q fever endocarditis were treated with tetracycline for up to 40 months. In addition, five of these patients received co-trimoxazole. Six patients had prosthetic valves. Two patients who had Q fever endocarditis on their native valves required valve replacement because of haemodynamic difficulties: in only one did the Q fever endocarditis contribute to the haemodynam...

Chronic Q fever endocarditis.

Guinea pig model for Staphylococcus aureus native valve endocarditis.

We present a new experimental model of Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis in guinea pigs. Permanent aortic valve damage was produced by electrocoagulation after catheterization of the right carotid artery, which allowed avoidance of the intracardiac catheter to produce cardiac vegetations. Our model closely mimics pathological mechanisms of native valve endocarditis.

Clinical and pathologic changes in a guinea pig aerosol challenge model of acute Q fever.

Acute Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii and can manifest as a flu-like illness, pneumonia, or hepatitis. A need exists in Q fever research for animal models mimicking both the typical route of infection (inhalation) and the clinical illness seen in human cases of Q fever. A guinea pig aerosol challenge model was developed using C. bur...

Q fever tricuspid valve endocarditis.

Q fever is a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii. The most frequent clinical expression of the chronic form is a bacterial culture negative aortic or mitral endocarditis. A case of tricuspid valve endocarditis due to C burnetii is described, with a favourable outcome after treatment with doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine.