<i>Enterococcus Faecalis</i> Infective Endocarditis and Colorectal Carcinoma: Case of New Association Gaining Ground

Abstract

Mostly <i>Streptococcus bovis</i> (<i>S. bovis</i>) bacteremia and endocarditis (60%) has been found to be associated with underlying colorectal cancer (CRC). <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> (<i>E. faecalis</i>) bacteremia and endocarditis has no identifiable source in most of the cases. <i>E. faecalis</i> is part of normal gut flora that can translocate through the intestine and cause the systemic infection. With any intestinal lesion or tumor, the barrier is breached and the gut flora like <i>E. faecalis</i> can translocate and cause infection. A 55-years-old male known to have non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with implantation of automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) and atrial fibrillation presented with weight loss, fever and back pain. He was diagnosed to have <i>E. faecalis</i> bacteremia and subsequent endocarditis and osteomyelitis of T7 - T8 and L4 - L5 vertebrae. He underwent colonoscopy for screening of malignancy because of his age and presenting symptoms suggestive of one. The colonoscopy found pedunculated polyp in sigmoid colon, and after biopsy the histology revealed an invasive well differentiated mucinous adenocarcinoma, with focal squamous differentiation. He underwent removal of AICD and antibiotic treatment for infective endocarditis and osteomyelitis. He underwent sigmoid colectomy with pathology of removed specimen showing adenocarcinoma with negative margins and lymph nodes. In many of the patients with <i>E. faecalis</i> endocarditis, if identifiable the source is genitourinary tract. But in most of the cases the source of <i>E. faecalis</i> bacteremia is unidentified. There is some evidence to suggest that in patients with unidentified source, colonoscopy may reveal a hidden early stage CRC or adenoma. We conclude that in cases of <i>E. faecalis</i> bacteremia and endocarditis with unidentified source, colonoscopy should be considered if feasible to rule out the diagnosis of CRC.