Abstract
Herpes simplex virus type II (HSV-II) with superimposed bacterial skin infection is an uncommon presentation of cutaneous necrosis in the setting of infective endocarditis. This case reflects a unique presentation of an immunosuppressed patient with infective endocarditis complicated by septic emboli and cutaneous skin lesions attributable to HSV-II and superimposed bacterial skin infection. The patient presented from an outside hospital with symptoms consistent with acute onset heart failure and skin lesions. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography performed there demonstrated focal thickening of the anterior mitral valve leaflet with severe mitral regurgitation. The patient then underwent extensive infectious work-up and was put on broad-spectrum antibiotics. Further work-up demonstrated greater than three DUKE minor criteria and reiterated the focal thickening of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve, making infective endocarditis the most likely etiology. Biopsies of the skin lesions were performed which stained positive for HSV-II and grew methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Bacteroides fragilis. The cardiothoracic surgery service ultimately decided not to perform any surgical intervention to the mitral valve during her hospitalization as she was deemed to be too high of a risk due to her thrombocytopenia and significant comorbidities. She was later discharged in hemodynamically stable condition on long-term intravenous antibiotics with repeat echocardiography demonstrating significant reduction in the mitral regurgitation and the focal thickening of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve.